Never-Say-Die Devils Believing They Can Pull Off The (Nearly) Impossible
Winning Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals did more than keep the Devils alive. It gave them a sniff, a scent, a feeling. Call it momentum if you want.
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Winning Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals did more than keep the Devils alive. It gave them a sniff, a scent, a feeling. Call it momentum if you want.
In the world of sports mind games, a good case be made that the Devils have planted a seed of doubt in the Kings and that the whiff of confidence is now in the New Jersey locker room.
The underdog Devils showed the fight needed to avoid a Stanley Cup sweep and unexpectedly brought the series back to Prudential Center for Game 5.
After Henrique scored the tiebreaker to win Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night, he became the first rookie to get three game-winning goals in one playoff year since 1999.
When the Kings scored to tie Game 4 right after New Jersey took their first lead of the series -- that's right, the series -- Steve started to get down in the dumps.
Adam Henrique scored the tiebreaking goal with 4:29 to play, Martin Brodeur made 21 saves, and the New Jersey Devils beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 on Wednesday night to avoid a sweep in the Stanley Cup finals.
Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events.
Although Martin Brodeur seems likely to return next season with the Devils, the 40-year-old goalie also isn't convinced their current season is over just yet.
The season was one of redemption and guts for the Devils after missing the playoffs a season ago. They have the stomach to win a game and extend the series, but any more than that seems way out of their reach.
Some have pointed to a lack of effort as reason for the Devils' impending demise, a theory I'm not buying.
There's a situation in Los Angeles. No, we're not talking about New Jersey's 3-0 hole in the Stanley Cup finals. Sure, that's a problem. But there was literally a Situation.
Only three NHL teams have rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, and just one - the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs - did it in the Stanley Cup finals.
The Los Angeles Kings are one win away from putting a Hollywood ending on one of the most spectacular playoff runs in NHL history.
Ilya Kovalchuk waited a decade for his first taste of NHL playoff success, and he's not giving up his Stanley Cup dreams just because the Kings are making life tough for him.
New Jersey simply cannot match ammunition with a loaded Los Angeles Kings' roster.
