What the Scoreboard Said
January 2, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
New Jersey Devils 4
Montreal Canadiens 1
The scoreboard says we are three goals worse than our opponents.
The scoreboard says they were the better team.
The scoreboard glow is final.
Tonight the scoreboard isn’t enough. (It’s never enough). Tonight the scoreboard doesn’t show …
… a team with pride peaking. A coach with his palm preach shading. A group of young lions nipped older. A phalanx of older lions found faster. An ageing, elegant warrior harnessing fierce fires of a white star ‘c’.
Seven moons rising over six suns.
The New Jersey Devils are a team to fear. It’s a team that Montreal must fear. But that fear at its most useable is -must be- a form of respect.
The Devils’ turnover to pass ratio is one of the best in the East. And they remain a patient, clever entity.
In facing them, the Canadiens see into a different mirror. The mirror the Flyers provide tells Montreal how tough their persona has become. The Bruins’ mirror teaches how much there is left to learn about hard work. The Rangers’ mirror shows Montreal if they can deal with a chaotic mid-game and a chaotic mid-ice.
New Jersey, with their patient, wait-for-your-error style give Montreal certain, specific problems to solve. Or not solve.
The Devils were able to convert two Montreal turnovers into direct goals. They made the most of their few genuine scoring opportunities tonight.
The Devils’ penalties were of necessity, one might argue. Most of Montreal’s were needless coming as they did in the offensive zone (D’Agostini) or late in the game when trying to overcome a two-goal deficit (Kovalev).
Montreal, on paper, are the better team. But their growth is ongoing.
Losing to the Devils but playing with the greater sense of urgency and intensity is far better than playing with indifference and winning by two or three goals.
On the surface, this is a setback. On a deeper level, this team is moving towards its goals with a greater momentum than in recent weeks.
Next mirror; Florida.
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