Nieu look

'Ordinary' Joe would give Devils needed jolt in Game 5

Regardless of what its players say to the microphone -- and notepad-toting hordes -- it's tough for a team to feel good about itself, under any circumstances, when it has lost two straight games in a best-of-seven series. But New Jersey can cling to a couple of positives rather than reaching for the hemlock as it prepares Thursday night's Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Devils still have home-ice advantage, which is huge considering they've won 10 of 11 playoff matches and allowed just 10 goals in the Jersey swamp. Their two losses in Anaheim came in overtime. Aside from the troubling lack of success Martin Brodeur has had in OT during his career, New Jersey can draw confidence from the fact that it was in position to win both of those games. In that sense the Devils are probably in better psychological shape than the Mighty Ducks were when they were down 2-0. The Ducks looked like they didn't belong on the ice with the Devils in Games 1 and 2.

New Jersey needs two things to re-take command of this series. 1) A jolt of energy. Maybe the Devils were jet-lagged from playing their first games outside of the Eastern time zone since early March. Maybe they were dazzled by the stunning beauty of Orange County. Whatever the reason, New Jersey's players were sluggish in Games 3 and 4, and coach Pat Burns says his team needs to be more "excited." 2) Someone, anyone, who can win faceoffs consistently. The Ducks have owned the faceoffs in this series -- in the first four games they won 167 of 274 (61 percent), and several of their best scoring opportunities have been off the draw. Ruslan Salei's Game 3 overtime game-winner was set up when Adam Oates abused Pascal Rheaume on a faceoff to Brodeur's right. Salei had two more great chances off draws in the third period of Game 4; Brodeur knocked one away with a nice stick save, and the other sailed just wide of the net.

Because they're always looking to slow the game down and kick the puck out of their zone, the Devils get whistled for a ton of icings. Giving the Ducks all those one-sided draws in front of Brodeur is like dropping Robert Downey Jr. off in Washington Square Park -- eventually, they're going to score. "I think that's where Anaheim really took advantage of us and controlled the play, by being strong in the circle," says Brodeur.

One player can fill both needs for the Devils. Center Joe Nieuwendyk may be the key to the rest of the series. Nieuwendyk, who has a hip injury, hasn't played since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals and didn't even make the trip to Anaheim. He tried to skate on Wednesday but cut the session short, and Burns said afterward that Nieuwendyk is "very, very doubtful" for Game 5.

Of course, a coach's injury proclamations mean nothing in the playoffs. Burns wouldn't have confirmed his lineup for Thursday if Nieuwendyk had been spotted racing Apolo Ohno around the Continental Airlines Arena ice. Nieuwendyk is one of the best faceoff men in the league, and even if the 36-year-old center is less than fully healthy he would instantly shore up New Jersey's most glaring weakness in the series.

That contribution would pale next to the emotional lift Nieuwendyk's return would bring the Devils. It would be their Willis Reed moment: Nieuwendyk gingerly hopping over the boards as the Meadowlands rocks. Burns knows this, and he knows his team, which seemingly had a stranglehold on its third Cup in nine years a few days ago, needs a distraction from its disastrous trip to the West Coast. If he can lean down to lace up his skates, Nieuwendyk should play.

"I didn't push it to its limit," Nieuwendyk said of his skating drill on Wednesday. "I'll save that for another day." For the Devils to take the lead in the series, Thursday better be that day.

Sports Illustrated staff writer Stephen Cannella covers the NHL for the magazine and will contribute frequently to SI.com throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.

 

Related information

Stories

Complete NHL Playoffs Coverage Previous Stephen Cannella Columns

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video