If you had told us on the eve of the playoffs that we’d be here today, we never would have believed you. Getting out of the first round is such a monumental task for the Devils that we were just happy at the prospect of losing to the relatively innocuous Panthers instead of someone more heinous. Then a matchup with the Flyers after they’d caused the mighty Pens such a massive mental collapse? Surely that was going to end badly, right? Just not trailing for at least one period was more than we were hoping for. So… now this. It’s amazing. It’s completely unexpected. It’s been fun. When was the last time the playoffs were fun for us? 2006? That’s not as recent as some of us would like to think. So really, our thought going into tonight’s game is that the rest of this is gravy. No matter what happens in this ECF, we hope we never forget the unmitigated joy that’s come from watching the Devils overachieve in the playoffs (and humiliate the Flyers in the doing).
Of course, we will forget as soon as the puck drops tonight, so consider this a note to our future selves that there was once a time when we were truly happy.
P.S. Check out what Pookie saw on her drive home, after skipping out of work two hours early in order to catch the game:
It’s a sign!
I would agree that everything’s gravy right now, except… it’s the Rangers. If they win, they play for the Cup. And that alone would be excruciating… but the Devils are all that stand between them and the finals. Which means if they do play for the Cup it would be exponentially worse!
I’m getting agita just thinking about it.
I just can’t get agita. It can’t be worse than being unable to get a job and having people tell you you are too stupid to do the work (intellectually incapable means stupid) – which is what keeps happening to me. I’ve had too many recruiters tell me I’m not going to get a job again and to find a husband…so at this point, I’m less concerned about what happens in this series.
I know, gunner. That’s an angle I’m trying REALLY hard not to think about. I’m just like, “Remember we beat the Flyers… remember we beat the Flyers… ::rocks in place::… remember we beat the Flyers…”
So apparently Kovy’s getting the “star” treatment from the crowd.
Oh man, Sue, that’s a total bummer. I’m so sorry life has been so unkind as to give you perspective on hockey matters. :(
So apparently Kovy’s getting the “star” treatment from the crowd.
Well, he didn’t sign there when he had the chance, so…
Hm. The Rangers don’t seem as defensively soft as the Flyers did.
Stinkin’ Rangers. Oof.
I’m so sorry, Sue!
gunner, I respect your agita, but I’ve decided to keep my head in the sand about the Rangers until the series is over. I’m going to condense all the agita into one big giant black hole of sadness. It’s going to be fun! Or something.
Did Volchenkov just get a penalty for being in the way of a Ranger’s crosscheck? I think he did.
Did Volchenkov just get a penalty for being in the way of a Ranger’s crosscheck?
::checks the rulebook:: Huh. Whaddaya know? That’s a legit call.
I hope everyone has noticed the update to our post — major omen on Pookie’s drive home!
I hope everyone has noticed the update to our post — major omen on Pookie’s drive home!
AHhHHHHH!!!! GHOST CUP!!!! RUN!!
No! Not St. Patty!
AHhHHHHH!!!! GHOST CUP!!!! RUN!!
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
And man, poor Patty seemed to have been paying too much attention to the Ghost Cup and not enough to the puck.
It wasn’t a ghost Cup — I was just really slow on the uptake to take a picture. I was staring lovingly at it while we were both stopped at a light and then was like, “Hey, wait! Camera! Camera!” The Cup is so entrancing, even on the side of a bus.
The radio folks said the puck “grabbed” Patty in the face. Clearly, the puck was trying to hug Patty’s face and it all went horribly wrong.
Clearly, the puck was trying to hug Patty’s face and it all went horribly wrong.
I think the puck was spooked by the Ghost Cup and tried to leap into Patty’s arms for comfort (as would we all), but Patty was not anticipating it.
I think the puck harbors dreams of being a green bowler hat.
Well, who doesn’t love stupid offensive-zone penalties?
Anyone else getting pretty fed up by the balloon that keeps bouncing in front of the camera?
FINE, gunner! I’ll just take my balloon and go home!
GAH! I’d fire Zach there, but… effort!
Okay, Kovalchuk is fired.
WTF, Kovalchuk?! W.T.F.
What did he do? The radio hasn’t mentioned it and I get the feeling we’re probably behind.
Henrique and Zach were buzzing around the net so Kovy passed it to a Ranger.
Yep, that should get him fired.
I can’t believe the radio didn’t want to make as big a deal out of that play as we did! :P
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Poop. Well, on the bright side, it happened a lot later in the game than I was expecting.
Funpoopy.
Bleh.
I can’t see it so it is hard to tell, but it seems, from the radio and the PBP on NHL.com that NJ just stopped trying after that goal.
It’s hard for me to tell, Sue, because I’m still in Flyers-series mode. I’m like, “Why is the non-Devils team not just rolling over?)
NBC cuts to Pierre, showing him on the screen, and Pookie says, “If only he were behind opaque glass.” Pause. “Opaque, soundproof glass.”
Fudge
Really doesn’t matter than Bernier took a penalty. NJ has exactly one shot in this period.
Poopity poop poop.
BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
It’s not like they were going to come back. They couldn’t get a shot on goal.
NJ has exactly one shot in this period.
And somehow it seems like less than that.
I think Kovalchuk needs to visit his miracle doctor again.
well…fuck
Well, that was useless.
Maybe they just needed to get that one out of their systems? Sigh. I’ve already forgotten — was this playoff year fun?
Round 2 seemed fun.
Round 3 sucks.
Good to see that Rupp is still an ass, though. That hasn’t changed. Do they give extra penalties for roughing the savior?
I completely missed the fact that there was a Cup on the side of that bus. I was wondering why you were implying that the Devils were going to get hit by a bus in this round, LOL.
I was wondering why you were implying that the Devils were going to get hit by a bus in this round, LOL.
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Well, at least it’ll be a bus with the Cup painted on it. :P
It’s a picture with many layers of meaning, Amy. :D
Do I need an art degree to continue commenting here :D
As for tonight’s game, the Devils really need to basically stand on top of Lunqvist, I would be OK with a couple of goalie interference penalties even.
Hey everybody! Here’s hoping the Devs get it done tonight. I have a ton of faith in there guys this year, and I still think the Devils are a far better team than the Rangers (you can just sense that BUT coming, right?)…
BUT, this is Devils/Rangers. Emotions, rivalries, throw the stats out et al. Look, if the Devils were playing any other number one seed who needed 7 game death struggles to eliminate the Sens and Caps, I would be completely shocked if the Devils failed to move on. Not so here. That is the nature of the Beast. I can only hope that Zach, Kovy, Marty and the boys can all summon their inner Marc Singer and get on top of the emotional aspect of this series. If this series strictly came down to talent, the Devils would win this thing. Here’s hoping the Devils can manage the other stuff and let their relentless talent take over the series.
Apparently, the Savior is out in favor of Harrold tonight, and it looks like Zach & Chuckles are back on the same line. Also, PDB has reunited Elias, Zubrus & Sykora. Oh, and Ranger fans are getting hysterical over Marty’s suggestion that if Rangers are going to put their faces and feet in front of shots, the Devils’ shouldn’t be afraid to shoot there. Somehow, when Messier was shooting at whatever body parts were blocking his path, they called it ‘leadership’, and swooned.