Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Preview: Devils Look to Continue Quest for History

Stanley Cup Final – Game 5

Game Time: 8:00 PM

TV: NBCSN, CBC, RDS

Radio: Bloomberg 1130 AM

It has only happened 4 times in the history of professional sports. The most famous being in 2004 when the Boston Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the New York Yankees in a best of 7 series. The most recent was in 2010 as the Philadelphia Flyers came back from 3-0 down to defeat the Boston Bruins and advance to the Stanley Cup finals. That was the 3^rd time it had happened in the NHL. The other previous 2 times were the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 against the Detroit Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup, and in 1975 when the Islanders came back to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2^nd round. So, while the odds are stacked against the Devils as they take the ice at the Rock for Game 5 tonight against the Kings, 3 of the 4 times it has happened has been in the NHL. That’s gotta count for something, right?

The Devils backs are clearly against the wall, but they played their best game of the series Wednesday night in a 3-1 victory. But if they are to force a Game 6 back in LA, they’re going to have to break the Kings 10-0 post season road record. However Coach DeBoer seems to think the Devils can do it, stating that, “It’s going to happen again. So why not us? I think that’s the approach. You’re not going to go 200 years without someone else doing it. So it’s been long enough, it might as well be us.”

The Devils had never been down 3-0 in a playoff series before this one, and following Wednesday’s victory, have still never been swept. They are also no stranger to coming back in series. They’re biggest deficit was in 2000 when they came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers and advance to the Stanley Cup Final. They will hope that their own history is on their side when they take the ice tonight, in what could be the last games for Devils Captain Zach Parise, and for Goaltender Martin Brodeur.  A hero must also emerge. Adam Henrique came through again in a much needed win, who will be it tonight?

No matter what happens tonight Devils fans, cheer on your team from beginning to end. This has been one of the best seasons we have had in a long time and we should be extremely proud of the team we cheer for each and every night!

ONE SHIFT AT A TIME, ONE PERIOD AT A TIME, ONE GAME AT A TIME!!

LET’S GO DEVILS!!

Devils Projected Line-up:

Parise – Zajac – Kovalchuk

Sykora – Elias – Zubrus

Ponikarovsky – Henrique – Clarkson

Carter – Gionta – Bernier

Greene – Fayne

Salvador – Zidlicky

Volchenkov – Tallinder

Brodeur

Hedberg

Kings Projected Line-up:

Brown – Kopitar – Williams

Penner – Richards – Carter

King – Stoll – Lewis

Gagne – Fraser – Nolan

Scuderi – Doughty

Mitchell – Voynov

Martinez – Greene

Quick

Bernier