Even in the playoffs, 3-2 does not add up to four, the Devils have learned. Or at least have been taught. Painfully.
Remembering that crucial mathematical tidbit might help them finish off the Maple Leafs in Game 6 of their quarterfinal series tonight at the Meadowlands.
The last three times they have led a series 3-2, they have twice lost Game 6, and lost Game 7, as well. The ghosts are not dispelled, yet.
One memory should be fresh, the other unforgettable. Last year, they were ousted by the Penguins in the first round after blowing a 3-2 lead. And in 1994, their 3-2 edge vanished as Mark Messier fulfilled his Game 6 promise and Stephane Matteau finished them off in Game 7.
“We must not become self-satisfied. It almost felt [after Game 5’s victory] like we had won the series,” Scott Stevens said. “We cannot give them any life, or any feeling that they can win.”
Ken Daneyko remembers those blown series, having played in each and every one of the Devils’ 117 playoff games.
“You don’t get these opportunities often. We’re playing at home, and we don’t want to go back to Toronto,” Daneyko said. “We need this one.”
The Devils are 7-2 in these playoffs, one victory from their first trip to the semis since their Cup year of 1995, the last time they finished off a team (Flyers) in Game 6. They don’t want to tempt their own history to repeat itself.
“It’s going to be pretty tough to accomplish what we accomplished [in Toronto], winning twice in a row,” Martin Brodeur said.
This series is weird. After dominating the Leafs in the opening four and only managing a split, they turned in their closest thing yet to a clinker and still won. Larry Robinson stressed how fortunate they were during yesterday’s team meeting.
“We felt that was our worst game of the series, as far as making mistakes goes,” Daneyko said. “[Robinson] didn’t want us to get too high because he didn’t think we played that great.”
There were plenty of words promising not to get involved in the antics of Darcy (Sideshow Bob) Tucker, or those of Tie Domi, who doesn’t need a nickname.
Leafs’ coach Pat Quinn was the one squawking before the series about how Devils run goalies, yet there was Sideshow barreling over Brodeur, and after the final horn, jumping on him. Then, Sideshow said he might just do it again.
Meanwhile, Domi was trying to instigate a post-game brawl, sticking Jason Arnott on his good left wrist, and sticking Claude Lemieux.
“We’ve talked about it, and that game’s closed,” Stevens said. “This is too important.”
Daneyko confessed that he delivered the cross-check to Sideshow that ignited the end-game festivities, but he said there will be no carryover from the Devils.
“This is no time for retribution,” Daneyko said. “I hope they take more penalties that we do.
“Look. This is playoff hockey. Everybody gets ticked off at everybody. But in the past, we’ve made mistakes trying to retaliate.”
Tonight, they’ll try to avoid that error, as well as the bigger one of failing to finish off a foe.
“Different, different, different,” Bobby Holik insisted.
They will have to make sure it is.
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Leaf defenseman Alexander Karpotsev did not practice yesterday after leaving Game 5 with an irregular heartbeat. He is doubtful for tonight.
Wendell Clark may miss his second straight game with back spasms.
Holik recalled being slammed by Stevens as a rookie, but couldn’t compare it to the staggering hits Stevens laid on Tomas Kaberle and Kevyn Adams in Game 5.
“It wasn’t like those two guys, gathering their belongings and trying to get to the bench,” Holik said.
On Clark’s Game 4 spear to Daneyko’s face, Robinson said, “That one, I still don’t know how someone doesn’t get suspended for that.”
Robinson said Arnott would play tonight, despite now having injuries to both wrists … Devs have scored three or more goals four times in playoffs, winning each. The three they allowed Toronto Saturday equaled the most they’ve given up in postseason, the third time a foe has reached that figure … Devils have killed all 18 Leafs’ power plays in this series.