An Interactive Sports Experience

Devils Drop Capitals 2-1, with Stadium Series Game Next

With the first ever Stadium Series game at Yankee Stadium on the horizon, the Devils have done their best to avoid the subject and concentrate on the task at hand. With the Washington Capitals coming into the Prudential Center a point behind them, Devils goalie Cory Schneider made sure the team will go into that game on a winning note after defeating the Capitals 2-1 on Friday night.

Schneider, who finished the night with thirty saves to pick up his ninth win of the season, has played his best hockey of the season recently and feels he is starting to get in the groove. “It’s good to get in a rhythm and start to gain confidence,” said Schneider on his recent play.

Adam Henrique who scored what ended up being the game winning goal for the Devils had nothing but praise for his goalie. “He’s been awesome for a while,” said Henrique. “I don’t think you can pick one in particular, every game he’s in there”, added Henrique when asked if this was Schneider’s best game of the season.    

Stephen Gionta opened the scoring at 4:57 of the first period with his third goal of the season, Jaromir Jagr picked up the lone assist on the goal.

Henrique would add his fourteenth goal of the season on the power play-his fifth on the power play 1:45 into the second period.

On the Henrique goal, Travis Zajac and Jagr were credited with the assists. With his second assist of the night, Jagr moved into a tie for 10th place with Mario Lemieux on the NHL’s all-time assists list with 1,033.

Despite the win and the excitement headed into the Yankee Stadium game, the Devils still have a problem on their hands-a good problem.

With both goalies playing so well, it has been asked throughout the week, who would get the nod Sunday afternoon, Schneider or Martin Brodeur? A question Devils coach Peter DeBoer will wait one more day to decide.

“It’s a tough decision, said DeBoer. “To both guys credit they have made it a very tough decision. I am going to sleep on it tonight and we will make a decision first thing tomorrow [Saturday]”

Schneider knows how much a start would mean to Brodeur. “It would mean a lot to Marty, having never played an outdoor game,” Schneider said. “It’s a pretty special game whether he [DeBoer] picks him or me. I don’t think it changes the way we feel about it or how we play”

Despite the goalie decision, DeBoer and the rest of the team can now finally start focusing on the Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

“I think I’ll probably start to think about it tonight on the way home,” DeBoer said. “It’s going to be a great day, Yankee Stadium, playing the Rangers, it’s a once in a lifetime event, and I’m excited about it.

Although it should be a fun event, the only thing the players aren’t looking forward to is the weather. “Hopefully the weather will be a little bit nicer,” said Adam Henrique.” It’s going to be chilly over there, but it’s going to be fun”

With a projected high of 19 degrees on Sunday, that is a long way from nice, but it should make for an interesting day.

 

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