[Hockey News]

Losing three of four regular-season games to Tampa Bay doesn't seem to concern the New Jersey Devils as they prepare to face the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs.

It's something to correct, John Madden said Tuesday after the Devils practiced for Thursday's Game 1 at the Continental Airlines Arena.

"You remember it, you learn and you try not to make those same mistakes," Madden said in looking at the matchup between the second-seeded Devils and the seventh-seeded Lightning. "You take the videos and break them down and see what's going on, the matchups and everything.

"At the same time, this is the playoffs and for the lack of a better cliche, it's another season, and here we go," Madden said.

Devils getting ready for Lightning on Thursday

[Hockey News]

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Zach Parise is the future of the New Jersey Devils. Fortunately for Martin Brodeur and Co., the future is now.Parise, a 22-year-old who had a team-high 31 goals this season, scored two goals, including the winne...

Parise scores twice to lead Devils to opening 5-3 win over Lightning

[ThePundit]

The game was 4-3 until there were 2 minutes to go. It was closer than I thought

[Hockey News]

The Tampa Bay Lightning expect Vincent Lecavalier to score. Having Johan Holmqvist outplay Martin Brodeur was an unexpected bonus.

Lecavalier, the NHL's top goal scorer this season, scored one early in the third period to break a tie, and Holmqvist made 34 saves to lead the Lightning to a 3-2 victory Saturday night, evening the first-round, Eastern Conference series at one-all.

Holmqvist was the big question mark for the Lightning after he gave up five goals on 24 shots in Game 1, including three relatively bad ones.

Vincent Lecavalier scores winner to lift Lightning over Devils 3-2

[Lefty Noob]

What's up with Brodeur? I don't mean to say that he's playing poorly, but he's been very un-Brodeur-like thus far in the playoffs. He had a 2.18 GAA and a .922% during the regular season, but he's surrendered 6 goals on 46 shots to Tampa Bay. Still not shabby, but not up to the standards we've come to expect out of the Devils' netminder.

[Hockey News]

One thing never changes about the NHL playoffs. Teams that dwell on missed opportunities following a loss only hinder their chances of rebounding in the next game.

So when New Jersey takes the ice Monday night for Game 3 of its first-round Eastern Conference series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Devils goalie Martin Brodeur says he and his teammates need to have short memories.

"You have to," Brodeur said Sunday, reflecting on a 3-2 defeat Saturday that kept the Devils from taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup.

"These first two games, we won one. So it's a best out of five now. It's not a bad situation to be in," the three-time Stanley Cup champion added. "We've got to go out and battle ... minimize our mistakes, try to keep it as simple as possible. It's a brand new series now."

New Jersey goalie Brodeur: Devils can't dwell on Game 2 loss

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

What's up with Brodeur? I don't mean to say that he's playing poorly, but he's been very un-Brodeur-like thus far in the playoffs. He had a 2.18 GAA and a .922% during the regular season, but he's surrendered 6 goals on 46 shots to Tampa Bay. Still not shabby, but not up to the standards we've come to expect out of the Devils' netminder.

The Devs better get to the conference finals or Lamariello is going to look like an idiot.

[Hockey News]

New Jersey 2 1 0 1-4
Tampa Bay 1 2 0 0-3

First Period-1, New Jersey, Gionta 2 (Oduya, Rafalski), 6:04. 2, Tampa Bay, Perrin 1, 12:08. 3, New Jersey, Parise 5 (Martin, Zajac), 14:20. Penalties-Ward, TB (hooking), 4:03; Prospal, TB (goalie interference), 15:36; Elias, NJ (interference), 18:46.

Second Period-4, New Jersey, Parise 6 (Greene, Zajac), 9:42 (pp). 5, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 3 (Kuba, Richards), 11:39. 6, Tampa Bay, Lecavalier 5 (Prospal, St. Louis), 15:20. Penalties-Richards, TB (tripping), 5:34; Richards, TB (boarding), 8:02; Fedotenko, TB (roughing), 10:35; Gomez, NJ (roughing), 10:35; St. Louis, TB (slashing), 17:20; Lecavalier, TB (hooking), 18:42; New Jersey bench, served by Gomez (too many men), 19:43.

Third Period-None. Penalties-None.

First Overtime-7, New Jersey, Gomez 1, 12:54. Penalties-Martin, NJ (delay of game), :43; Boyle, TB (hooking), 8:09.

Devils-Lightning, Sums

[9korona]

go devils hope they get the next game. i i hope brodeur plays alot better

[Hockey News]

Like most of the New Jersey Devils, John Madden sat in the players' lounge and watched the New York Yankees' comeback win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday before coming out to talk about the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The baseball game was mesmerizing. Down by four runs in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, the Yankees scored six times, winning on a three-run homer by Alex Rodriguez.

A roar went up from the players after A-Rod hit the ball over the centre field fence.

"I never would have pitched to him," Madden said, referring to first base being open and Rodriguez being one of the hottest hitters in baseball. "I never would have thrown the ball down the middle either."

Sounds simple. But solutions in games aren't always that obvious.

Just ask Madden about stopping Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis of the Lightning in the first-round, best-of-seven Eastern Conference series that is tied at heading into Friday night's game at the Continental Airlines Arena.

Madden really doesn't have an answer for that one.

Madden, Devils hope to slow down high-scoring Lecavalier and St. Louis