NHL Updates – New Jersey Devils host the Minnesota Wild (Preview)
New Jersey Devils will host the Minnesota Wild this Tuesday. This is the only scheduled meeting between the two sides this time. The last time these both met was last year on the 2nd of January 2010. The match was dominated by the New Jersey Devils
as they emerged as 5-3 victors of the match.
The New Jersey Devils is currently placed in the last position in the league table and it has been one of their worst campaigns in the entire history. The most disappointing thing which comes as a shock to many is the fact that their goal keeper Martin Brodeur
is also deteriorating with the passage of time. Martin Brodeur is one of the best goal keepers in the business and heads the NHL with most wins.
The replacement goal keeper Johan Hedberg is no better as he has managed the same number of wins as Martin Brodeur in 15 more games. However, the lack of performance at the back has broken the backbone of the New Jersey Devils which has resulted in them
being placed at the last position in the league table.
New Jersey Devils misery has been season prolonged as they haven’t managed to come up with back to back win except once. It seems that they aren’t aware of the word back to back wins and with the current form it seems it won’t be a part of their vocabulary
for some time.
New Jersey Devils last win was against the Atlanta Thrashers on New Year’s Eve but a few days later when they were up against the Carolina Hurricanes scored three goals in quick succession to come up with a commanding 6-3 win.
"It's hard to be happy when you spend (eight) minutes in net and they score three goals on seven shots. You shouldn't be happy about it," Brodeur said about the shortest start of his career -- he lasted just eight minutes.
New Jersey Devils has played 38 games so far out of which they have won only 14 and sit in last position in the league with 22 points. On the other hand, their counterpart for the night has played 38 games as well. Winning 23 and sit in a disappointing 21st
position with 41 points.
There is nothing much to talk about the Minnesota Wild thus far as they are expected to finish in the 13th or 14th position at most. There inconsistence this season has been a major factor which has led to them being a bottom half team.
The last game against the Phoenix Coyotes this Sunday was a thoroughly entertaining match that saw Minnesota got their noses ahead in overtime to win the match 6-5.
"The game was like a movie," coach Todd Richards said. "It had drama, at times it was a comedy, at times it was a horror, but it had a great ending."
Andrew Brunette is in hot form for the Minnesota Wild as he scored two goals and made an assist as Minnesota Wild won this Sunday against the Coyotes. New Jersey Devils on the other hand don’t have much to talk about except that Travis Zajac has scored 3
goals in his last 5 starts.
Coming to the match, Minnesota Wild are definitely the favour to come up with a win but as we have seen in the NHL season so far that anything is possible so we can’t count out the New Jersey Devils too.
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