I liked Phoenix as well, but Devils could have extra motivation factor after last night's game:
(Also, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lists Hedberg as starter)
Devils feel robbed by Roy and refs
BY RICH CHERE
Star-Ledger Staff
DENVER -- Patrick Roy still knows how to leave the Devils with that empty feeling.
The future Hall of Fame goaltender, who was so instrumental in the Colorado Avalanche's comeback to win the sixth and seventh games of the Stanley Cup Finals last spring, shut the Devils out for the second time this season, 2-0, last night at the Pepsi Center
It was Roy's eighth shutout of the season and the 60th of his career, but the Devils felt the officials were equally responsible for the outcome thanks to at least one very questionable call on a disallowed goal from Scott Stevens in the second period.
Roy and Martin Brodeur were still engaged in a scoreless battle when Stevens blasted a shot from the left point that found the net at 4:11 of the second. However, the goal was disallowed because of what the officials called incidental contact when Devils winger Valeri Kamensky made contact with Roy after being pushed from behind by Avalanche defenseman Bryan Muir.
"That's clearly a goal," defenseman Ken Daneyko said. "Their defenseman had no stick and he pushed Val through the crease. That's one of the more questionable calls I've seen. That changes the whole complexion of the game."
The call, which falls under Rule 78 (Protection of Goalkeeper) and allows referees to use their judgment in disallowing a goal without calling a goalie interference penalty, left the Devils scratching their heads.
"I watched the replay," Stevens said. "No question in my mind it was a goal. (Kamensky) had nothing to do with me scoring the goal. I said to our coach I never even heard of that call. It sounds like it's all right. That's a big call, especially for our club right now."
The Devils have now been shut out seven times this season, including 2-0 by Roy back on Nov. 18 at Continental Airlines Arena. In all three of their losses under new coach Kevin Constantine, the Devils have failed to score.
Roy made back-to-back saves on Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora before the Avs took the lead. Joe Sakic's shot went through the crease, but winger Alex Tanguay worked the puck back to defenseman Greg deVries for a shot from the top of the left circle. Sykora went down to block the shot, but it deflected off the Devils winger and sailed over Brodeur's glove hand at 14:30.
Sykora said the puck hit him in the pants as he tried to execute one of Constantine's playbook blocks, but Brodeur said it deflected off the winger's skate.
"That's a play that could have been avoided," Brodeur said. "We're asked to block a lot of shots. Where (Sykora) was, I don't think he should have gone down. But it's new to us."
Trailing by a goal midway through the third period, the Devils saw their chances slip away when Sakic scored his 22nd goal of the season on yet another unfortunate play. Daneyko was taken out of the play by linesman Randy Mitton, giving the Avs a two-on-one break up ice.
When Stevens was unable to sweep check the puck away, Dan Hinote sent Sakic in alone for a shot from the slot that beat Brodeur on his glove side at 13:10.
"They rimmed it, and we were trying to keep the puck in," Constantine said. "Ken Daneyko was trying to keep it in and the linesman ran into him. By the time he could recover, it was a two-on-one," Constantine said.
Daneyko complained to no avail.
"(Mitton) apologized to me. I would have gotten to that puck, no doubt in my mind," Daneyko said. "That's a mistake. We make mistakes and they make mistakes."
The Devils continue their Western Conference road trip tonight when they meet the Phoenix Coyotes at America West Arena, where they hope the breaks don't cost them so dearly.
"We still have to play better to win," Bobby Holik said. "That's (the disallowed goal) not an excuse why we lost. It shouldn't be."
