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April 7, 2009, 11:48 PM ET
Rubbernecking on the Garden State Parkway
by Timo Seppa
Advisory to drivers passing through New Jersey tonight:
There’s a wreck at the side of the road that you can’t avert your eyes from - Martin Brodeur and the Devils.
Can I say “I told you so”? Three days ago I stated that the Devils are running Marty into the ground. They had just played him a staggering 6 out of 9 nights, with high shot totals, and this in the context of his recent recovery from a serious injury.
While the Devils almost tripled the Maple Leafs in shots tonight, 48-18, Brodeur allowed some weak goals in a deflating 4-1 home loss. While it’s not surprising to hear comments like “He just didn’t look sharp tonight” and “He’s not himself right now” (on ‘NHL on the Fly’) to describe the severely overworked netminder, it’s surprising that the cause of his deteriorating performance is not abundantly clear.
Do you think that other teams aren’t licking their chops right now at a possible playoff matchup with New Jersey? A few weeks ago, when the Devils were the class of the Eastern Conference, quickly closing in on the conference leading Bruins, it would have been impossible to believe that such a statement could be made in the near future.
That’s ancient history now. Brodeur is flagging, with Poor Starts in 3 of 4 games. The Devils have lost 7 of their last 9 games. They look like the pre-Tortorella Rangers, for goodness sake! I bet Lou Lamoriello is getting the itch to take over behind the bench again…
Coach Sutter, Scott Clemmensen would like you to know that he’s ready to play if he’s called upon.
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