Devils cram before showdown

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As Devils coach Jacques Lemaire reminded on Sunday, "It?s just a game."

So, there was no reason for Martin Brodeur and the Devils to get too worried about their performances in Saturday?s 5-2 opening-night loss to the Flyers.

Still, a goaltender doesn?t get to play in 1,000 NHL games and win a league record 557 of them by not putting in some extra work when it?s called for. On Sunday, part of Brodeur?s preparation for tonight?s game against the Rangers at Prudential Center, was to review the video of the goals he allowed the previous night.

Some of them weren?t pretty.

"I didn?t play well. That?s the bottom line," Brodeur said. "A couple of goals I was looking for passes instead of just setting up for shots. I was just in between. I don?t know if it was the type of chances they had on me that made me do that. That?s what we?re going to look at it and see. I?ve just got to focus on playing one guy at a time better than I did [Saturday]."

Brodeur gave up five goals on 27 shots. He wasn?t the only Devil to play poorly, though.

The Devils spent the bulk of Sunday?s practice working on their power play, which let them down by failing to convert on two 5-on-3 advantages against the Flyers.

"Bottom line on a 5-on-3 is you?ve got to score or at least get some great chances," left wing Zach Parise said. "[Sunday] we were moving. [Saturday] we were standing still. It wasn?t smooth."

The Devils would want to rebound tonight regardless of the opponent, but facing the Rangers brings a little more spotlight. Brodeur missed four of last season?s matches against the Rangers while recovering from a torn biceps tendon and lost both of the starts he made against them.

In fact, Brodeur has not recorded a regulation win over the Blueshirts since Feb. 20, 2007 ? a span that covers 11 regular-season starts (2-6-3 with two shootout wins) and five 2008 playoffs games (1-4 with an overtime victory).

At least Brodeur won?t have to worry tonight about his nemesis Sean Avery, who is still is recovering from a sprained knee.

"The Rangers, from our fans? perspective, is a big deal," Brodeur said. "For us, we?ve got to win. ? But it?s always a big rivalry."

BRIEFS: C/LW Patrik Elias (Sept. 15 groin surgery) is expected to begin skating this week. ? Lemaire was pondering "maybe one" lineup change for tonight. RW Ilkka Pikkarainen, who still is on injured reserve after a bout with the stomach flu, says he is ready to play. ?

 

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The Devils host the Rangers Monday night.

"They have a good team," Lemaire said. "They have good players there. They made good additions to their club. You see what (Marian) Gaborik is doing. If he stays healthy, he'll be like that all the time. We'll have our hands full."

Lemaire said Ilkka Pikkarainen is feeling better and improving and might be in the lineup Monday night.

"I don't know if I'm going to put him in, but he's there," the coach said.

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There was no big team meeting Sunday, just a few chats on the ice in an effort to clean up their game.

"I don't think there is really a lot to be said," captain Jamie Langenbrunner noted. "Be better on the 5-on-3. Other than that we played a pretty solid game. We limited their chances. I don't think we played a bad hockey game. We have to capitalize on our opportunities."

Lemaire said he watched the video of the game.

"Exactly what I thought," he said. "We didn't give a lot of chances-against. I thought our confidence dropped after the 5-on-3 power play. But, hey, it's a good team. They won't give you 20-25 chances. We felt we got 11, which was in the ballpark with last year."

The Devils averaged 10-14 chances per game last season.

Langenbrunner said the conference is a dogfight right out of the starting gate.

"Until December or January, everybody is a good team," he said. "Everybody is pretty confident about what they can do in the season. Everybody is playing at a high level. You have to go with that attitude.The Islanders last night getting a point against Pittsburgh. That's early-season hockey. Every team has that confidence."

Paul Martin agreed.

"It's like baseball. They play 162 games a year and it comes down to the last game with the Twins and Tigers," he said. "Every game counts. Every point counts. You can say it was the first game and we'll get it done, the key is working at it. Unfortunately you don't have that luxury of taking games as experimental.

"You can't give away points to rivals. Tomorrow is going to be a big game."

Even bigger because it comes against the Rangers.

"Part of it is just establishing that, 'We're going to be a contender and someone who is tough to play against.' With it being against the Rangers means that much more," Martin said.

What are they anticipating from the Rangers?

"They're 1-1. They went into a tough building on banner-raising night and played them tough," Langenbrunner said. "Came home the next night and won a game they had to win. Obviously a lot of new players who seem to be coming together relatively quickly. Gaborik, when he is healthy, is one of the best players in the league. Explosive, dangerous. They have some other pretty good players also."

This may only be the second game of the season, but points are valuable in the division.

"We can't be giving points away. It starts in October, not February," Langenbrunner said. "You go through October and try to get your team in order."

The Devils worked on their 5-on-3 positioning in practice Sunday.

"That first 5-on-3 I'm not sure anyone knew where they were going," said Langenbrunner. "That sometimes happens early in the season. We were more trying to get guys in proper position so we can take advantage of what we have on a 5-on-3."

Zach Parise confirmed that the Devils are concerned about power play positioning.

"Just kind of recognition of where guys are and what's open," he said. "I think we were standing still too much and holding onto the puck. We talked about bringing the 'D' in closer and not so spread out. Get shots more from the middle. Little things like that.

"It's the same every year. Your special teams have to be good. All the teams that are making it far in the playoffs, their special teams are good. They're scoring those big goals. I thought our PK was good last night. The power play, we got a goal, but it needs to be better. In a division like ours you have to make sure now you're capitalizing when you get a man advantage."

Lemaire was, of course, most perplexed by the 5-on-3. That is why they practiced it Sunday.

"It's to understand what we're trying to do on the power play," he said. "When you're not moving, it's hard to get good shots because everybody is a goalie today. All three guys on the ice want to block shots."

Asked if he thought about calling a timeout before the two-man advantage, Lemaire said: "I came close."

A lot of it is confidence.

"Sure. That's what we're looking for," Lemaire said. "That's most important. You get that first one and then you get the people behind you, the fans, and it's a different game."