Thrashers 4
Devils 2
The Devils’ coach suggested last night that some out-of-shape scribblers could forecheck better than his $52 million Presidents’ Trophy contenders. Pat Burns was clearly not willing to tolerate the Devils’ first regulation loss in more than a month.
“But it was due to happen,” Burns said. “I’ve heard how great they were the last two or three weeks. This cuts their legs off a little bit, brings them down a notch.”
All their record-chasing ended in last night’s 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers at the Meadowlands. Finished is their team record-tying eight-game home winning streak, as is their franchise-best 14 game (12-0-1-1) point streak.
They fell to recent laughingstocks, with the Thrashers suddenly raging (7-2-1) under 2001 Cup-winner Bob Hartley.
“They surprised me,” Patrik Elias admitted.
“We looked like a badly-prepared team tonight to face the challenge. They took the challenge, we didn’t,” Burns said. “Maybe I didn’t say the right things in the room.
“If there’s responsibility to take, I’ll take some.”
The Devils were overdue for a stinker, and this one barely had mild odor. They fell behind by two for the first time in 2003, roared back to square the score in the second, then lost on a freak third-period goal off the new corner glass before conceding an insurance goal 15 seconds later.
It started off badly for the team that had not lost at home since New Year’s Day. They had not even trailed at the Meadowlands since Jan. 18, a span of 214:47, a streak that ended when Dan Snyder opened the scoring for Atlanta at 14:33 of the first. Jeff Cowan turned in the left circle to sent the puck across the goalmouth knee-high, and Snyder swatted it past Martin Brodeur for his third of the year.
Ilya Kovalchuk made it 2-0 3:20 later, breaking on left wing past Scott Stevens. Kovalchuk’s 29th went in off Brodeur’s pad, marking the first time since Dec. 27 that the Devils had trailed by two.
Steve Guolla put New Jersey on the board, scoring in his first Devil game in more than three months, also his 200th in the NHL. Returning from disc surgery, Guolla collected a Scott Niedermayer rebound in the slot for his second of the season at 3:13 of the second.
Patrik Elias tied the game with his 16th at 10:02 of the second, lurking at the back door to put away Niedermayer’s power-play pass from the right side.
Atlanta, en route to its fourth straight road victory after opening the season 4-14-1-2 away from home, regained the lead on a freak bounce. Andy Sutton dumped the puck to the left corner and while Brodeur was going behind his net to stop the puck, it caromed wildly in front, hopping over Stevens’ stick. Marc Savard’s shot beat Brodeur to the net for his 10th of the season at 13:04 of the third.
Slava Kozlov, perhaps the Devils’ prime quarry for trade deadline acquisition as a rental, added insurance with his 13th at 13:19. Dany Heatley stole the puck from Stevens to set up Kozlov on the left side 2-on-1.
“We didn’t play very well tonight,” Burns said. “It’s as simple as that.”