New Jersey Devils' Peter DeBoer confident well rested team still capable -NHL Playoffs Update
Being the first team to end a playoff series definitely has its advantages but at the same time, there are some disadvantages as well that can end up costing the team big time when the need to work again arises.
Just when the New Jersey Devils were getting used to taking a series to seven games, they went up against Philadelphia Flyers, a team that just totally choked up in the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Final series and
lost in just five games.
While Devils returned home after five games, they waiting patiently to see who would come out victorious in the Washington Capitals – New York Rangers semi-finals and now with the latter advancing to the next round, New Jersey has to get back in form.
In order to keep the Devils sharp and ready to go against a working New York Rangers team, Peter DeBoer thinks that he has what it takes to keep the team up to par and is even hoping to use New York’s fatigue to his advantage.
“I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much rest this time of year,” DeBoer said Friday. “We have to stay sharp. That’s our job to manage the schedule and days off so we’re ready to go Game 1. That’s on the coaching staff to manage it properly.”
Devils will have had six days to rest when they kick off the Eastern Conference Finals against New York Rangers on Monday, May 14, 2012, and if they manage to keep the rust off, taking advantage of a tired Rangers team could be that extra edge they will
need in the crucial series.
With that said, New Jersey Devils are definitely not going into the series being overconfident because they know that would be a fatal mistake to make on their part.
“It will get harder,” Devils’ Dainius Zubrus said. “It will get rougher because the teams will be better. Four teams and they all think they have a shot. They will play as hard as they ever have.”
It will definitely be interesting to see which teams come out on top in Game 1.
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