New Jersey Devils' Peter DeBoer reason for teams Season and Playoffs push -NHL Update
Every team that makes it big in the National Hockey League (NHL) coming out of a disappointing season needs a catalyst to speed up the process and for the New Jersey Devils, Peter DeBoer has been that.
The visionary coach joined the team at a time when players looked confused and disoriented with what they were looking to achieve in the new hockey year, but as soon as Peter DeBoer took charge, things changed for the better almost immediately.
"With about 10 games left we had been spinning our wheels, hadn't been playing well, and we challenged the team to really get on a roll heading into the playoffs," DeBoer said during a talk with the media on Thursday, May 24, 2012. "History had shown that
it was important that teams were playing well heading into the playoffs."
New Jersey went as far to winning six games consecutively and never looked back from there. They might have just barely made it into the playoffs with a final moment push during the regular season, but that push has been the reason as to why they are in
the Western Conference Finals now.
"That was the first signal to me that the team was engaged and wanted to do something special," DeBoer said. "Having said that, the Florida series was everything we can handle, plus some. I don't think anyone that watched us there would have predicted us
to be here."
He showed that ability to get his players working when it came down to levelling the series in Game 4 as New Jersey responded by not only tying the series but also dominating New York Rangers, 5-3, in the following contest.
New Jersey Devils proved to be an extremely resilient team as they faced off with the hot Florida Panthers and pulled through victorious in Game 7. The next series was a little easier on them as Devils eliminated an even hotter Philadelphia Flyers team in
just five contests.
Now, as New Jersey prepares to go into Game 6 against New York Rangers, keeping the same momentum running just might get them in the Stanley Cup Finals earlier than expected. Game 6 is scheduled to start on Friday, May 25, 2012, at the Prudential Center
in Newark.
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