PHILADELPHIA – Al Arbour used to run his Islanders into the ditch a month before the NHL playoffs, then watch them roar when he towed them out. That doesn’t seem to be Claude Julien’s tactic. The Devils are on the skids, all by themselves.
It’s an official slump, their worst of 2007, especially after they last night were outplayed by the NHL’s worst team, playing out the string. The Devils lost to the woeful Flyers for the first time this season, falling 5-4 on Simon Gagne’s winner 1:47 into overtime, also their first OT loss.
“You don’t recognize your team right now,” Julien said after the Devils lost their third straight (0-1-2) and fourth in six (2-2-2). “We have a certain identity that is not there.”
There are 15 games remaining before the playoffs, and the Devils still lead the Atlantic Division.
“There are plenty of people happy we’re going through this right now. We’ll turn it around,” said Scott Gomez, who had three assists.
Tomorrow, they visit the Penguins who are chasing them, and Saturday visit the Sabres, the Eastern Conference leaders they’re pursuing.
“Maybe we need that kind of challenge, that’s going to scare us enough to get our focus back,” Julien said.
The Devils allowed three regulation goals in their two previous losses, and the four they gave up last night could have been eight.
“I could count on my hands the number of times I’ve faced 31 shots in the first two periods,” said Martin Brodeur, denied his record-stretching 40th victory a third straight time. “We’re playing to the level of our opponents.”
Brad Lukowich endured a topsy-turvy night, goals bouncing in off him before earning the Devils their charity point by forcing overtime.
“If it’s the end of April, we’re down 3-0 (in a playoff series),” said Lukowich, noting that the Devils are winless this month.
The loss was compounded by the reinjury of last year’s team record-setting goal-scorer, Brian Gionta. In his second game back, Gionta aggravated the groin injury that cost him eight games, playing only the first period.
Lukowich forced OT with 5:35 left, pouncing in front after Patrik Elias and Gomez poked and kicked a rebound free from goalie Martin Biron.
Gagne convered his own rebound after being set up at the right edge by Randy Jones.
“We talked about correcting our mistakes, and we got better in certain areas. But the most important is shutting the other team down, and we did an even worse job than the last game,” Elias said. “This is going to open our eyes a little bit.”
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GM Lou Lamoriello said a cement-block wall that collapsed Monday at the Prudential Center arena in Newark was a minor incident, and that he understood an injured worker did not suffer a broken leg, as reported elsewhere. “This wasn’t anything of any [consequence],” Lamoriello said, adding it won’t have any effect on the completion of the arena, where the Devils plan to play next season.
Johnny Oduya said he spoke with Swedish national team officials Bengt Gustafsson and Mats Naslund when they scouted him for possible World Championship duty. . . . Flyer Mike Knuble, who underwent surgery to repair orbital fractures caused by his collision with Ranger Brendan Shanahan, is aiming for a March 15 return to action.
OVERTIME Flyers 5 Devils 4