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Tuesday, May 6
Updated:
May 6, 2:14 PM ET
Breakdown: Devils vs. Senators
By Bill Clement
Special to ESPN.com
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Ottawa power play vs. New Jersey penalty kill
The Devils penalty kill was ranked No. 1 during the regular season, and goaltender Martin Brodeur is their best penalty-killer. He handles the puck so well on the dump-in that he is like a fifth penalty killer, so regardless of the firepower the Senators have on the power play the advantage goes to New Jersey.
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New Jersey power play vs. Ottawa penalty kill
I wouldn't give the Devils' power play the advantage over any penalty killing unit in the world. They ranked last in the regular season. And while New Jersey has had some success in the playoffs, it hasn't run into penalty killers like the Senators. Ottawa has been awesome in short-handed situations in the postseason, killing penalties at a 93.8 percent rate (45-of-48), including all 17 in the conference semifinals against Philadelphia.
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Goaltending
One goalie in this series is an awesome big-game player and one still has something to prove. Ottawa's Patrick Lalime has been good in the playoffs, but he will have to be great against New Jersey. It will be interesting to see whether or not he can match Brodeur, who is a tremendous pressure goalie with two Stanley Cups under his belt. Brodeur is a finalist for both the Vezina and Hart trophies, and I don't think he is through collecting critical acclaim.
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Coaching
Both coaches are seasoned veterans, but New Jersey's Pat Burns has more experience going through the playoff grind than Ottawa's Jacques Martin. Burns made adjustments in the first two rounds that paid huge dividends for the Devils, and he seems to know how to push the right buttons at the right time. If you're looking for someone to deliver a fiery pregame message, Burns is your man.
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Intangibles
There is no better five-man unit at shutting down the opposition than the group led by Madden at center and Stevens on the blue line. While the Senators have gifted forwards, the Devils' top defenders have already passed the test against Boston's Joe Thornton line and Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier line. The clearer their assignment the better their performance, and and their only assignment in this series will be to eliminate Hossa and Havlat. One unit that can act as a stopper against anyone gives New Jersey the advantage here.
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Prediction -- New Jersey in six
Having so many advantages adds up to a trip to the Stanley Cup final for the Devils.
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Bill Clement is a hockey analyst for ESPN. He played 11 seasons in the NHL as a center and won two Stanley Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers.
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