ECSF - Game 2

Since we couldn't line up a babysitter for tonight and playoff tickets are bloody expensive, we decided to sell our tickets for tonight and stay at home. I managed to sell the tickets and parking pass for face value an hour before the game.

7:28 - OLN is changing to "Versus". They should change their name to the "Mark Messier Network", 'cause they are all up in Mark's ass. I mean, Mess was a great player - a legend - but 'cmon guys, let it go.
7:30 - Clement, Clement, hands of cement. Anyone else remember that commercial?
7:31 - Emerick. Isn't he the Devils' play-by-play guy? Seems a bit odd. Still, he's better than the other jokers.
7:35 - Marcus is eating, Athena is trying to get on our nerves and has "asked" me to swaddle her doll, Kelly, twice.
7:36 - Highlight of Ottawa/Buffalo - Connally got ROCKED. Holy crap.
7:40 - The crowd is already chanting and ready to go. It'll be interesting to see how Brodeur bounces back. Devils trying to keep Madden on Staal. We'll see how that works out.
7:42 - Double shifting Staal already.
7:45 - The Devils are hitting more. It's noticeable. Hasn't had much of an effect yet, but it may.
7:48 - Nice passing and puck movement by the Devils - big goal by Langenbrunner (from Elias and Rafalski). It looks like the 'Canes were running around and watching. Nothing Cam Ward could do about that one. 1-0 Devils.
7:53 - Ward had a goalie fight in the AHL last year? hee hee. I didn't know that. Funny.
7:54 - That first goal has energized the Devils. The 'Canes need to respond.
7:56 - OK, this TGI Friday's commercial is kind of annoying. "Vegetable Medleyyyyy". Ugh.
7:58 - Buffalo/Ottawa update - Miller coming up big on the saves. Wow.
7:59 - Good point by the announcers (Weird, eh?) - not a lot of crease crashing so far. I guess the officials told them to watch it.
8:00 - Brodeur giving up the rebound. Good chance, but Brodeur with the save. We went low again and it gave us a chance. Devils a little feisty after the play with two of our guys crashing the net (Brindy and Williams)
8:01 - Goal NJ - NO - Goalie interference on Gomez. Yeah, that was pretty obvious - no way Ward could have made that save. Gomez was literally on top of him before Gionta shot the puck. Power play Carolina. Good job by the refs on this one.
8:03 - We need to be winning faceoffs. Whitney got slammed at the blue line, but he's OK.
8:04 - Damnit. Goalie interference on the Canes. Williams in the crease - very weak call. Brodeur initiated contact and it was minimal. The refs are overcompensating for game 1. 4 on 4.
8:06 - Penalty on the Devils - tripping on Paul Martin. They're definitely calling it tight. 4 on 3.
8:07 - Brodeur ices the puck. That's damned odd. Not something you generally see. I hate television timeouts right after icing the puck. It just gets under my skin. The point of the new icing rule is the punish the team that does it by not letting them get off the ice and rest. Instead, they get a free break anyway.
8:12 - Penalty on Commodore - looks like he popped some guy off the crossbar, but he probably just threw him down. Update in Buffalo - Dumont scores on the 2 on 1. Buffalo 1, Ottawa 0. Ward not handling the puck cleanly tonight.
8:14 - 2 on 1 shorthanded. Kevyn Adams and Nick Wallin. Not the two I would choose and they show it. Not even a shot.
8:15 - Some good pressure short handed. Penalty killed.
8:16 - I am seeing hands in front of the camera. Very annoying. OK, end of the first period. Devils 1, Hurricanes 0. The Devils controlled the tempo, but it was slight. Definitely not a decided advantage. Carolina needs to turn the tempo up a bit and take it to them in period 2.
8:26 - Damn vegetable medley commercial again. *sigh*
8:29 - Buffalo/Ottawa highlights. Buffalo up 2-1. They're playing really well.
8:33 - Short interview with Peter Laviolette, basically saying what I already did - Williams shouldn't have been called for the penalty; Brodeur should have.
8:34 - OK, the puck has been dropped - start of the second.
8:35 - Penalty on Elias for interfering with Williams. The announcers are saying Williams dove. Regardless, Canes power play.
8:36 - Some sloppy play leads to a Devils break, but we recover.
8:37 - The power play is looking better and getting shots, just not on net. We're missing the net, something that always annoys me.
8:39 - Lavy always rolls the Adams line after a power play for energy. It's a good choice. They bring it every game.
8:40 - Aaron Ward takes a puck to the face. Ouch. He was cut above the eye, but he'll be OK. They'll stitch it quick and he'll be back on the ice. Ouch. The replays hurt just as much.
8:42 - Stop missing the net! Get it on goal! That's a great way to cause a breakout the other way. Sheesh. Ooh, good chance by Staal.
8:45 - Ronnie Franchise in the crowd. Interview.
8:46 - Elias shot off the post. Eek. Followed up by a 3 on 2.
8:47 - Too many men on the ice, New Jersey. The puck hit Madden's skate. Carolina power play. It seems like the Devils are winning more faceoffs than in game 1. That's definitely affecting our play.
8:50 - Not that great of a power play. A few shots, but nothing really effective. Power play over, Aaron Ward back on the bench (10 minutes. Not bad)
8:54 - LaRose cannot beat Brodeur. Some good chances and Brodeur came up big. The big two pad stack. Matching penalties (K. Adams and Klee for roughing) after the play - 4 on 4 hockey.
8:56 - The Canes seem to be increasing their tempo and playing better. We'll see if something comes of it. D'oh - just as I say that, we turn it over. Luckily it was just Sergei Brylin.
8:59 - I hate when we delay at the blue line and it causes an unintentional offsides. Very annoying. Get over the blue line before you start dipsy-doodling guys. Damn, delayed penalty on Carolina. Kevyn Adams for boarding Gomez.
9:01 - Good puck movement by New Jersey.
9:02 - Elias a little upset because Commodore gave him a solid hit on the boards. Poor baby. Good kill.
9:06 - Penalty NJ - Matvichuk for holding Eric Staal.
9:07 - Good stop by Brodeur on Cullen's blast from the point. Brindy just wins draws. Nice. Some good chances before a clear.
9:09 - RECHHI! WOOOO! Great passing for that power play goal! That's how it's done boys! Tie game at 1.
9:10 - The Canes have energy now. They're swarming all over New Jersey. The crowd has been ignited.
9:10 - Bad penalty on Carolina - hooking to Williams. Use your head, bud. We just grabbed some momentum. Not the time to give it up.
9:11 - Devils penalty behind the play - Langenbrunner for interference. 4 on 4.
9:12 - Whitney shot off the draw - good save by Brodeur. Damnit, ANOTHER penalty - this time hooking on Hedican. Jeeze guys. 4 on 3 with 16 seconds to go in the period. Use your heads, guys.
9:13 - End of the period. We got that late goal, but hopefully all of these penalties at the end of the period won't come back to bite us on the ass. The penalty killers need to be in top form.
9:45 - Ahh, Vegetable Medley. You strike again. Somewhere an ad exec is preparing to burn in hell for that.
9:47 - Good back and forth play. Devils still don't have any shots this period though. We need to keep the pressure up. We're getting good chances in their zone. Maybe the Devils are getting tired? Wilting under the pressure of the forecheck. We need a breakthrough. Marty can steal this game.
9:50 - That would be their first shot there. And another. OK guys, buckle down and get it going the other way. I think the next goal is the winner.
9:51 - SO CLOSE. Ack! We're getting good chances. Marty had to dive for Whitney's shot. Kaberle with the great shot right after. Doug Weight is creating chances single-handedly. Great pass, great play. Devils ice the puck.
9:52 - Devils ice again - they have to be tired. Take advantage!
9:55 - We're playing really well positionally in the defensive zone. New Jersey isn't getting a lot of quality chances.
9:57 - Linesman gets in Wallin's way. That's silly. Get out of the way fool - you gotta see him coming!
9:58 - A lot of great chances by Brindy's line! Ack. Get it in there guys!
10:02 - One minute to play in regulation. SHIT!
10:02 - FUCK!!
10:02 - SHITFUCK!!!
10:02 - Deflection goal with 20 seconds to go. Parise off of Gomez, the post, and in. They're reviewing it - it may have been hit by a high stick. PLEASE BE A HIGH STICK!
10:05 - FUCK - it's a goal. 2-1 Devils. 20.7 seconds left. Never let a goal in in the last minute! Ward off the ice for the faceoff. Madden wins it cleanly, but all the way back in the Devils zone. Ooh, I was wrong - watch the replay. Brind'Amour pushes it forward with Madden's help since the net was empty. Great play by Brindy.
10:05 - HOLY MOTHER FUCKING SHIT CRAP I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE WE SCORED IT! HOLY MONKEY! They scored with 3 seconds left and I was jumping and doing windmills. Elizabeth couldn't believe it either. We both managed not to wake Marcus too. HOLY CRAP! STAAL! Tied at 2, going to overtime! I have to pee.
10:17 - Highlights from Buffalo/Ottawa again - damn, Miller made 40+ saves. Connolly and Volchenkov don't look like they'll be back this series. It's never good to have players dropping like flies. Volchenkov hits like a truck too. That head-to-head shot still hurts to watch. Volchenkov impacted the boards with his head immediately afterwards too.
10:22 - Overtime starts. Let's end this Canes.
10:23 - Matching penalties. Matvichuk pushed Williams into Brodeur and they both get the hook? Brodeur slow getting up - might be a little hurt. 4 on 4 - just like overtime in the regular season.
10:24 - Staal slipped! Shit - odd man rush. GREAT PLAY AARON WARD! Cullen on the break!!! Nice save by Brodeur.
10:26 - Sloppy play in the defensive zone. Canes were lucky there. Scary overtime. MOTHER FUCKING WALLIN! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
10:27 - It's being reviewed. Went off Wallin's skate, but it didn't look like a kick to me (or the announcers).
10:29 - GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!

Wallin always shows up for the playoffs - that guy is Mr. Overtime, I swear. Montreal fans still boo him every time he touches the puck. He struck against the Devils this time. What an exciting game! Hurricanes take command of the series 2-0!

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