News Source: New York Post

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MISSING PIECES IN DEVILS' PUZZLE

THE difference is heartbreak rather than humiliation. Otherwise, the Devils are exactly where they were when last season ended, still lacking exactly the same pieces that weren't obtained all season. Doubts about Martin Brodeur, 37 next week...

ROLSTON'S GOAL FOR NAUGHT

It could have been a season-changing goal for Brian Rolston. The expensive signing -- the Devils' priciest free-agent acquisition ever -- had suffered through a disappointing first year with the Devils. A sprained ankle slowed him early in the...

DEVILS SUFFER HELLISH GAME 7 DEFEAT

The Devils' special season is over, and the stunning, almost unbelievable way it ended will be long remembered in New Jersey, longer than the special season itself. The Devils were within 80 seconds of winning Game 7 and advancing to the second...

SHOCKED BRODEUR KNOWS LOSS WILL BE FROZEN IN TIME

WITH the Hurricanes pounding, pounding like the headache the Devils must now endure for another summer, Joni Pitkanen finally found a seam to Jussi Jokinen before Eric Staal fired one off the wing with 31.7 seconds left into what Marty Brodeur...

DEVILS LOSE GAME 7

The Carolina Hurricanes stole their thrilling first-round series from the Devils in the final 80 seconds. Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal scored in a 48-second span late in the third period and the Hurricanes stunned the Devils 4-3 in Game 7 of...

FIRED-UP DEVILS GO FOR THE KILL

This is the definition of a captain leading by example, what should be massive inspiration for the Devils in Game 7 tonight. The Post has learned that Jamie Langenbrunner underwent knee surgery after Game 2 of this series against the Hurricanes...

CAROLINA PUSHES DEVILS INTO GAME 7

RALEIGH -- Utterly unable to handle prosperity, the schizo Devils must now rely on Game 7 home ice, the pattern of alternating victories, and rediscovering the midseason moxie that made them Atlantic Division champs. They've haven't outplayed the...

CAPTAIN GOIN' FOR CLINCH

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two flips of the coin to come up heads once to eliminate these pesky Hurricanes: That's what the Devils have, with nearly the same odds, based on past performance. Add captain Jamie Langenbrunner to the equation and the Devils'...

DEVILS HAVE HURRICANES ON BRINK

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Posted on the wall in the Carolina Hurricanes' dressing room is a rundown of the teams that remain in the East's playoff field. By Saturday's skate that group had dwindled to seven. One more loss, and Carolina can cross itself off...

EXPECT TO 'C' LANGENBRUNNER IN GAME 6

The Devils' captain is coming back to help prevent Carolina from doing that on them. Sources have told The Post that Jamie Langenbrunner is expected to rejoin the Devils in practice today and plans to return to the lineup to help try to eliminate...

HURRICANES' WARD ALMOST MATCHED BRODEUR

Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward was almost as good as the Devils' Martin Brodeur on Thursday. But not good enough. Ward stopped 41 of 42 shots, giving up only a second-period power-play goal to David Clarkson on a deflection to lose Game 5, 1-0...

IT TAKES A BRO-DACIOUS EFFORT TO TOP CAM, 'CANES

There are tips. And then there are tips. We'll warm you up with a few standards for playoff time. 1) Never bet the over in any playoff game where Marty Brodeur and Cam Ward are the goaltenders. 2) Stay out of the penalty box during the postseason...

BRODEUR'S 44-SAVE SHUTOUT GIVES DEVILS SERIES LEAD

A perfect game was demanded, the perfect way to tie the all-time playoff shutout record. Great players perform their greatest feats in the great games, when they're needed most. Martin Brodeur filled the bill again. "That was the best he's been...

CLARKSON'S HARD WORK PAYS OFF

Zach Parise wanted to make things hard on Carolina goalie Cam Ward last night. "We have to be more aggressive," Parise said before the Devils took a 3-2 series lead over the Hurricanes with a 1-0 victory last night in Newark. "In the last game...

BRODEUR HAS 44 SAVES IN RECORD-TYING 23RD SHUTOUT

Martin Brodeur tied Patrick Roy's NHL record for playoff shutouts, making 44 saves in New Jersey's 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night that moved the Devils within a win of advancing to the second round. David Clarkson scored...

BRODEUR AND CO. MUST FORGET NO-CALL

Get mad, get over it, get better. That must be the Devils' progression or they'll deserve a second straight first-round playoff exit, and a fifth straight season of being unable to win two rounds. Martin Brodeur's postgame stick-slamming was...

BRODEUR CALM DAY AFTER OUTBURST

The hockey world and even his family got to see a rare side of Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur in Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes: the livid Marty. The NHL's all-time winningest goaltender in the regular season had an outburst worthy of...

BRODEUR CRIES FOUL AS DEVILS FALL AT :00.2

RALEIGH -- They worked such comeback wonders that the Devils must wonder how they got in that three-goal hole to begin with -- and how they lost anyway with 0.2 seconds left. Unable to make it easy on themselves and their injured captain, the...

JOKINEN SCORES FOR 'CANES WITH 0.2 SECONDS LEFT

Jussi Jokinen deflected in Dennis Seidenberg's slap shot with 0.2 seconds remaining and the Carolina Hurricanes evened their series with New Jersey at two games apiece by beating the Devils 4-3 Tuesday night. Eric Staal, Ryan Bayda and Chad LaRose...

PARISE CATCHES EYE OF HURRICANES

RALEIGH -- With points on five of the Devils' eight goals in this playoff series, Zach Parise is Supersizing the Superstar he became this season. The Devils are in position to take a hammerlock 3-1 series lead over the Hurricanes tonight, a lead...

HURRICANES SLUMPING AT WRONG TIME

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Things are starting to look a bit bleak for the Hurricanes. After winning nine in a row late in the regular season, Carolina has dropped four of five and hasn't led in regulation in any of those five contests. Now, after a 3-2...

ZAJAC'S OT GOAL GIVES DEVILS SERIES LEAD

RALEIGH, N.C. -- There the Devils go, being resilient again, the trademark of their remarkable season. What they gave away in Newark, they took right back on the road -- even without Jamie Langenbrunner. Now the Devils have the lead that has stood...

DEVILS' LANGENBRUNNER WILL MISS KEY GAME 3

RALEIGH, N.C. -- With their captain out at least the next two games, and probably longer, the Devils are about to find out if they can do it again, survive and even prosper as they did when they lost Brian Rolston or Bobby Holik, and certainly...

DEVILS' LANGENBRUNNER HURT; HOME ICE GONE IN OT

Venue isn't the only thing that has turned on the Devils. So have the tables. They head to Raleigh, where they've lost their last six playoff visits, having conceded home-ice advantage. They may be without their captain, as well, for Game 3...

GLEASON SCORES TO GIVE CANES 2-1 WIN IN OVERTIME

Defenseman Tim Gleason scored his first NHL playoff goal on a slap shot at 2:40 of overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 Friday night, tying their first round playoff series at a game apiece. Gleason's shot from the...

DEVILS AIM TO 2-TIME CANES

It's been seven long and grueling months since training camp, yet the Devils practiced yesterday like schoolkids sneaking free ice time. Heck, they might have even paid for rink rental, they seemed so glad to be back in business. They'll try to...

HURRICANES PLAN TO BE BETTER

After watching somewhat of a no-show performance by his Carolina Hurricanes in the opening game of the playoffs, Paul Maurice was frank in saying that his postgame comments weren't all hugs and kisses. Maurice wasn't totally negative either after...

DEVILS START OUT WITH A STATEMENT

The Devils emphatically declared themselves a playoff force again, but only on the ice, not with words. They refused to insist they are on their way, this team that has won its last 10 series in which it has taken the opener. Martin Brodeur...

HURRICANES ALWAYS BE-DEVILING

Some of it has little to do with the Hurricanes, but the Devils have had nothing but trouble with them. It started in the 2001 second round, when the 111-point, defending champion Devils first stubbed their toe. The Mighty A Line was being backed...

ROLSTON HAPPY FOR FRESH SHOT

So many Devils have something to prove in these playoffs, perhaps no one more so than Brian Rolston. The Devils' biggest-ever outside signing, at $5 million per each of four years, the 36-year-old played only four games before suffering an ankle...

PARISE HAS GOAL, ASSIST IN DEVILS' WIN OVER CANES

Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner each had a goal and an assist and New Jersey Devils showed they are over their late-season swoon with a dominating 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening game of their first-round playoffs series...