The Disgraceful Devils

Disappointed. Yes, disappointed would probably be the word that sums up my feelings about the New Jersey Devils and their way too short playoff run. Or perhaps, shocked would be a better word. I really thought this was the year the Devils were going to at least get out of the first round, and maybe even go deep into the playoffs. But no, for the third year in a row, the Devils have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs - and it doesn't help that they've been eliminated at home all three years.

Perhaps, the Prudential Center is cursed. Ever since the Devils moved out of East Rutherford and into the Rock in Newark the Devils can't seem to escape the first round of the postseason.

Maybe, Martin Brodeur is done. The 38-year-old goalie just can't seem to steal a playoff series for Jersey the way he used to. Outplayed by Flyers third string goalie, Brian Boucher, Marty played well against the Flyers but certainly not well enough to win.

Or could it be, that the Devil's stars such as Langenbrunner, Elias, Parise, and Kovalchuk just forgot how to score goals in the playoffs. In the four Devil losses to the Flyers, the Devils scored just four goals.

I think that the Devils seemed unmotivated and uninspired and and it certainly looked like the Flyers wanted to win a hell of a lot more. I definitely was not happy with the coaching of Jaques Lemaire. The Devils were looking sluggish and down after falling behind three games to one, and Lemaire simply called for the Devils to stay the course. Stay the course!?!? How about throwing a chair across the room, or at least a little yelling? Lemaire seemed way to calm throughout the series and never made adjustments necessary for the Devils to win.

The Devil's power play was atrocious and their penalty killing wasn't anything special either. And most of the times on five on five, it might as well have been a Flyer power play.

As a Devil fan, I'm sick of being teased for 82 games only to be let down right away in the playoffs. I invest way too much time in this team for them to give the effort, or lack of effort, that they give in the playoffs. Maybe the Devils don't realize this, but no one cares about winning the Atlantic Division - all that matters is a Stanley Cup!

I'm sure the Devils will be back in the playoffs next year, because they always are. And for making the playoffs consistently I applaud them, but it's been seven years since a Cup and three years since getting out of the first round.

Alright, it's officially baseball season in NY/NJ...