Devils PostScript: Atlanta 4, Devils 3 (SO)

Scoring Summary
1st period
Atlanta - Marian Hossa (SH) - 23rd of the Season, unassisted, at 7:59
2nd period
Devils - Sergei Brylin (PP) - 9th of the Season, from Parise and Rafalski, at 6:37
Devils - Johnny Oduya - 1st NHL GOAL, from Langenbrunner and Zajac, at 9:09
Atlanta - Jon Sim - 9th of the Season, from Kovalchuk, at 16:25
3rd period
Devils - Jamie Langenbrunner (PP) - 14th of the Season, from Gomez and Elias, at 6:43
Atlanta - Marian Hossa (SH) - 2nd of the game, 24th of the Season, from Vishnevski, at 7:02
Shootout
ATL, 1. Kozlov SCORES on Brodeur
NJ, 1. Parise stopped by Lehtonen
ATL, 2. Hossa SCORES on Brodeur
NJ, 2. Gionta stopped by Lehtonen

Game Recap:

A game that saw the pendulum of momentum switch numerous times saw the Devils looked fired up on offense and at times lost on the other side of the puck. Hossa's first goal was helped by a non-call from the ref when Jamie Langenbrunner had his stick ripped from his hands by a Thrasher. Either way, a fantastic goal from Hossa.

The Devils tied it on a pretty play from Sergei Brylin, after what Mike Emrick called a play that seemed broken "like 7 times", Brylin moved in a backhanded it in the smallest possible opening to tie the game.

In some good things happening to good people news, Johnny Oduya finally cashed in on a roaring, end-over-end shot that almost seemed to take an arc. It was so curious looking, that the refs decided to review it, much to Johnny's visible dismay. However, goal good, 2-1 Devils.

Then a bang-bangish play when Vitaly Vishnevski (a key player in Devils GameDay) slapped one on goal, and New Glasgow, Nova Scotia (same as Colin White) native Jon Sim popped in the rebound to tie the game.

The Devils were given a 5-on-3 in the 3rd and gave Scott Gomez to make his case as one of the premiere players in the NHL. He simply threads the needle so well. Langenbrunner waited a split second and fired it past Kari Lehtonen, who was fantastic at times, and made it 3-2.

Yet it was not to be, as 19 seconds later, Marian Hossa was sprung and ripped one into the 5-hole past Brodeur (Students of Foreshadowing 101 take note) to tie it at 3.

After an exciting OT, the shootout was, as usual a letdown. Kozlov and Brodeur both got it in past Brodeur, on shots that he probably should've had, but then again, I'm not an NHL player, so I don't know. Parise pulled out every move (i.e. all 2) in the book and couldn't lift a backhander above Lehtonen's glove, and Gionta missed to end it.

Overall, a decent effort from New Jersey against one of the best teams in hockey. Probably could've been a win tonight, but oh well, Friday is another game. As Ovechkin and the Crapitals come it to town.