Since the beginning of the season, the Devils were about being a brotherhood.
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After dropping the first two games of their opening round series against the Lightning, the Devils returned to New Jersey and stunned the top-seeded Bolts with a 5-2 win in Game 3. On the bright side, the Bolts still leads the series, 2-1. Otherwise the 32-year-old Schneider was ideal, right until two empty-netters from Coleman and Ben Lovejoy shifted the tide of what had been a 2-0 series.
These two penalties result in a Power Play Goal for the Devils to tie the game.
“(Coleman) certainly deserved it”, Devils coach John Hynes said. “My guys bailed me out big time there”. I thought he played extremely hard all night.
Schneider, who seemed to hurt his groin in a collision with Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh midway through the final period, survived a late power play to nail down the win. “They scored a couple goals there, but it didn’t affect us”. In Game 3 alone, he nearly matched that playing close to four minutes against him. “Those are the attributes that make Cory such a good goalie – how under control he is, his hockey sense, his ability to read plays and how quiet he plays in the net”. He’s a puck-pressuring pest. He just has to get open in the offensive zones. Killorn leads in goals with 4 while Kucherov tops in assists with 4.
Coleman nearly didn’t make it through the increasingly nasty game – twice. This 2017-18 Lightning team is 25-17 SU on the road.
After this, the Devils rode every ounce of momentum it gave them. I knew that if we [reached the postseason], that I was probably going to have to do something at some point. It’s one of those stingers where your arm goes dead for a little bit. Mirco Mueller also sat as New Jersey dressed six defensemen instead of seven used in Game 2. At this point, general manager Ray Shero should be charged with a crime for the one-for-one deal that got Hall for the meek return of Adam Larsson two summers ago.
Hynes said going with Schneider – his No. 1 goaltender the past three seasons- in Game 3 was not a gamble.
“I think we just didn’t have any lulls”, Devils captain Andy Greene said.
Prediction: Lightning win 3-2, in overtime because why not. Devils took one shot, saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. The rookie immediately limped to the bench and down the tunnel into the locker room.
“He looked steady, where it’s a nice, calming effect”, Devils forward Blake Coleman said of Schneider. “Actually, it was a good place to get hit, I guess”.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 29 shots on a night when the Avalanche finished 0 for 5 on the power play.
“I have said all along, I haven’t tried to veer from what I have been doing”. It’s not just the play on the ice that will be must-see TV either.
Discipline: Through the first three games of the series, taking undisciplined penalties have cost both teams games in this series. The energy was high throughout the entire game and with each goal the Devils scored, the place went insane. Before their names were announced as the stars of Game 3, Hall atop the leaderboard with three points and Schneider right behind with 34 saves, Hall wrapped an arm around his goalie’s sweaty shoulders and whispered into Schneider’s ear.
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Unsung? Maybe, but not unappreciated by his coach and teammates.
