Looking to avenge a 5-2 loss in Chicago on December 23, the Devils played well for the first two periods at Prudential Center, but Patrick Sharp and the Blackhawks were too much for the Devils to handle in the 3rd period on January 3.
Chicago erupted for three goals in the first 5:34 of the 3rd period including two in the period by Patrick Sharp who finished with a hat trick on the night to give Chicago a 5-3 victory.
After Sharp’s third goal, several of the Blackhawks fans in attendance tossed their caps on the ice as is custom in hockey when a player scores a hat trick.
“The first five minutes of the third period just killed us,” said Devils goalie Martin Brodeur who finished with 19 saves on the night but took the loss. “They have too much fire power,” Brodeur added.
Chicago, who came into the game with the most points in the NHL with 64, scored 1:34 into the second period to get on the board as Sharp scored his first goal of the game, but Devils Defenseman Andy Greene followed 43 seconds later to tie the game-which would remain tied until the 3rd.
The Devils made a game of it after it was 4-1, as Defenseman Marek Zidlicky added two goals six minutes apart to make it 4-3, but that was as close as the Devils would get, as Sharp put the game away with 1:28 left before the Devils could pull Brodeur for the extra skater.
“We got ourselves back in it at the end, but too little too late,” said Devils center Stephen Gionta.
It would not have been that close if it wasn’t for Zidlicky and Greene. “It’s nice offensively,” said Devils head coach Peter DeBoer after the game on the offensive output of the team’s defenseman.
“We’ve got to tighten up a little defensively,” he added.
“Their big guys took the game over in the 3rd,” said DeBoer. “They have enough weapons that make you pay,” added DeBoer.
The Devils who were coming off a three game stretch against Metropolitan Division opponents where they earned 5 of a possible 6 points, have no time to dwell on this loss as now play the second of back to back games as they travel to Buffalo to face a struggling Sabres team.
The Devils know, no matter how bad a team is they can’t take anyone lightly. “In the NHL everybody is a good player”, said Ryan Carter who returned from injury and played for the first time since November 30. “Any night any team can be one of the best teams on the ice,” added Carter.
“It’s two points that are huge for us. We have to play desperate tomorrow night,” said Gionta.
The Devils are hoping Buffalo isn’t the best team on the ice Saturday night and they can continue their recent solid play and pick up those two points.
