The view from Newark

Perhaps the New Jersey Devils are being rewarded for their poise and consistency. Yes, the Devils made two lineup changes after Game 3, but for the most part, they have tried to play the exact same way throughout the first five games of the series. The Devils rely on Martin Brodeur. They get the puck in deep. They go win it and cycle it. When the puck gets deep in their end, they’re always on the lookout for stretch passes and counter-attacks. The Devils aren’t really playing any different than they did in Game 1. They’ve had some bumps along the way — Game 3, and the first 10 minutes of Game 5, to name a couple — but for the most part, they haven’t gotten away from their game and the way they like to play. They’ve been fortunate, yes, to have the Kings hit the post a few times and to get a couple good-bounce goals, but for those who follow the credo that a team “makes its own luck,’’ the Devils are working hard for their breaks. It’s now a tight series, and the Devils have the momentum. Can they keep it up? Here’s how The Star-Ledger and The Record covered last night’s game, followed by some additional postgame quotes from the Devils…

The Star-Ledger’s Devils coverage

The Record’s Devils coverage

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COACH PETER DEBOER

(on the difference in the last two games…) “I mean, not a lot of difference. You know, I’ve been singing the same tune since Game1. I said even when we were down 3‑0 that I didn’t feel that the series was that lopsided. Our best players were our best players tonight, Brodeur and Parise, Kovalchuk. That’s the key this time of year. ”

(on Martin Brodeur’s game…) “What else can you say? I mean, his performance speaks for itself. It’s a timing of it. You know, I think the fact we’re 9‑1 or 10‑1 in Games 4 through 7 in a series is a testament to how he enjoys that type of pressure.”

(on getting the first goal, on Jonathan Quick’s miscue…) “We needed the first goal. Regardless of how it looked, we needed the first goal. I thought they controlled the first period. They were the better team in the first period, which was a little surprising. I don’t know whether it was nerves for us or what.But they controlled the period. Marty made some big saves for us. We capitalized on a mistake. But it’s nice that we’re finding some holes in them right now.”

(on the change in demeanor on the bench after the first goal…) “Well, yeah, your crowd gets into it. For sure. The first two games of the series, we’re at home, we didn’t get the first goal either game, we lost both games. We couldn’t get any momentum. We found a way again tonight like we did in Game4 to get that ball rolling and it’s critical this time of year.”

(on keeping the team focused now…) “I don’t think we’ll have to say much. They’re going to award the Stanley Cup to somebody here in the next two games. There’s only two games left in a season where both teams are going on a hundred and probably ten games. So this is probably right where you want to be. I think we’ll put our best foot forward.”

(on whether he thinks bounces even out over the course of a series…) “I think that’s pretty fair.”

(on having a chance to make history…) “We’re not thinking that far ahead. We’ve got to win another game in order to keep playing. I said all along that our group has a confidence in itself. We didn’t feel we belonged in the hole we were in. We felt if we kept playing and got some big performances that we could climb out of it. We’re slowly doing that. But we’ve got some work left to do.”

(on the Devils’ resiliency…) “We’ve been counted out right back to last summer and the pre‑season predictions all the way through. One thing about our group is that, you know, they believe that we can win. They believe we can win every game we play if we play the right way. It’s just a matter of stringing together a couple more here.”

(on the physical nature of the game…) “I don’t know about physical. It was a little chippier tonight. You can see the frustration around both nets because both goalies are playing so well. They’re low‑scoring games. Every game has been physical.”

(on the Devils’ sloppy play early…) “We played a real poor first period. I don’t know why. Again, I’d like to chalk it up to maybe nerves or being at home. I’m not sure. I give L.A. some credit. I thought they had a fantastic first period. But we can’t afford to play 20 minutes of hockey like that again or we’re playing with fire.”

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MARTIN BRODEUR

(on giving the Kings their first road loss of the playoffs…) “I thought we survived out there. I don’t think we played our greatest game, but we found a way to win. These are important games to win, especially at home, knowing these guys play really well, really solid on the road. They had a lot of jump. We got cornered a few times in our zone. But we made some good blocks, key plays defensively to win this game.”

(on what happened in the scrum…) “I got punched and threw it over my head. That’s it. Not much more that happened. … I couldn’t believe they didn’t call any penalty.”

(on having a chance to make history…) “We’re still alive. We have a chance. It’s a difficult thing to get yourself ready for games like that. Now it’s been two in a row. It drains you a lot. It takes a lot out of you. But it’s worth it. I think at the end of the day, that’s what the guys are concentrating on, getting themselves ready, leave everything out there. We’ll see where everything’s going to fall. Right now we’re able to pull two tight games on our side, like they did in Game1 and 2. So it’s a matter of us now going into a tough environment in L.A. to try to ruin the party again. I think they’re so close to winning the Stanley Cup that I’m sure it’s getting to them a little bit, to be able to have all these chances and not capitalize on them. We’re looking to just stay alive. Got to win one more game.”

(on being excited at the chance of making history…) “No, no, no, trust me. It’s exciting to do what we’re doing right now. We’re having a great deal of fun. But we haven’t done anything yet. That’s why for us it’s important to just keep it on the low‑key there and just keep grinding it out and then we’ll be just fine.”

(on the emotions of getting back in the series, and now having to travel…) “Well, we have plenty of rest in the last two series to be able to travel now. This is the time of year that you don’t care what you have to do to be successful. We could have packed it in two games ago. That’s the bottom line. But you see we have a bunch of resilient guys that want to try to make history and try to win the Stanley Cup. We’re not going to give up, not because of travel or anything, is going to change the attitude of the guys.”

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ZACH PARISE

(on still needing to improve…) “I think we turned the puck over quite a bit in the first period, and they have a great transition game where we allowed them to keep coming back at us, back at us. We didn’t do a great job dumping the puck or getting on our forecheck routes properly. When we don’t do that, then that makes it pretty easy for them to break out, and we don’t get a lot of offensive zone time. We’ll have to be a lot better for Game 6.”

(on whether the Kings are getting frustrated…) “I mean, hopefully. If they are that will definitely play to our advantage. I guess you’ll have to ask them. I think for the most part, not so much tonight, but throughout the series, we’ve done a pretty good job of not giving them a lot of great opportunities. From an offensive standpoint, that can get frustrating. So maybe that’s the case. I don’t know. But I still think that they played a really good hockey game tonight.”

(on his goal…) “I made a not‑so‑great pass across the ice Patty. I wasn’t looking. Just saw Quick go out of the net. Just went on the normal forecheck route that I’ve gone on a thousand times this year. He just happened to misplay it and put it on my stick. You got to get lucky sometimes.”

(on scoring to give the team an early lead…) “It’s always nice to contribute. But, again, I still think that our line was playing fine. We were getting a lot of great chances. It wasn’t going in for us. Tonight we get lucky, and that’s the difference. But, yeah, it feels good to contribute. For us to get the first goal, that’s always big. I think every team plays better when they’ve got the lead. You can get the crowd going a little bit, get them excited. We were able to do that.”

(on whether he was unfairly scrutinized for not scoring…) “I understand you guys have a job to do. No disrespect, but I don’t read or listen to what you guys say. That doesn’t bother me one way or another. I understand it comes with the territory, where we are, what’s expected of certain players. But, again, like I said, I thought we were playing fine. You feel, when you’re getting the opportunities, that if we kept working hard in getting those that the puck was eventually going to go in for us. Hopefully it will keep going in. I mean, these guys play really a tough defensive game. They don’t give you a lot. Their D have great gap. It’s tough to get in the zone. They’re big players. They don’t give us a lot of room. We’re working hard. We’re trying hard. Hopefully we can keep putting some pucks in.”

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BRYCE SALVADOR

(on his patience on his goal…) “We’ve been working on that all season, really for the defense trying to contribute, trying to help on the offensive, whether it be pinching, keeping the puck in. It’s really just been trying to get the puck through. Yeah, I kind of faked a shot there and bought some time so I could kind of go across Greene. Like I said, I think I went off 16 people, and it went in. Clarky did a great job by going to the net and creating a screen, and Pony made a great play bringing it up and passing it across. There’s a lot of things that went right on that shift and we got rewarded for it.”

(on overcoming a tough season to be at this point…) “It’s definitely a great feeling. I think what’s more important is that we have momentum and won. Zach and I joke about it. This time last year we were worried about tying our shoes up and trying to get into shape. We trained together in the summer, after both missing the season. I think being here is a goal of both of ours. A year ago, we were seeing if we could run on the track and get back on the ice. It’s been a great experience. Like I said, it’s one of those things that you enjoy because the team’s having success.”

(on the joy of scoring a goal in this situation…) “Well, obviously any time you can score, like I said, went 82 games without scoring, so any goal I can take, I’m taking it. I think whenever you can contribute on the score sheet, you enjoy it. But, like I said, obviously it’s been great to help contributing on the score sheet. Like I said, it’s more important that the team is having success, and that’s what matters. The only reason people are asking about the points is because the team is having success. We’re going to go into L.A. and continue to be resilient and continue to be the close group that we are. The team’s done a great job whenever it’s been faced with adversity. We’re just staying levelheaded and not getting ahead of ourselves because we know we have a big task ahead of us. There’s a great hockey team over there. We’re just trying to build on our momentum.”