The Devils Still Lurk

The New Jersey Devils got back into a series that they were never out of. Yes, they were down 2-0 going into Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. But the Devs have not played horribly in this series. In fact, I think New Jersey has actually played quite well. The Rangers, on the other hand, have not been up to par. Their shaky nerves were quite evident the other night at MSG. I did not think the Blueshirts were able to control their emotions which led to them taking so many needless penalties. Though I'm still confident New York will win this series, they are going to need much more than Sean Avery playing schoolboy tricks on Martin Brodeur.

The one thing I will say about that particular incident is that if Scott Stevens were still with the Devs, Sean Avery would be missing some teeth Sunday night. No way that stuff would go on with the former Jersey captain manning the Devs' blueline. I like Sean Avery most of the time. His energy and aggression add a great deal to the New York Rangers. But that kind of stuff has no place in hockey and I am glad that Colin Campbell came down on it.

If the Rangers are going to win this series, though, they are going to need to play a much more disciplined game. We'll see. Game four is tomorrow night.

I'll be watching, will you?