On the road, Devils back in the saddle
By Joe Lago
ESPN.com
DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars feel they've got the New Jersey Devils right where they want them after sending the Stanley Cup finals back to Texas for Game 6.
Problem is, the Devils feel right where they want to be -- on the road.
"We're very confident coming into this building," defenseman Ken Daneyko said after Saturday's morning skate at Reunion Arena. "We play very well on the road because we play a lot more simpler and a lot smarter."
|  | | Bobby Holik and the Devils plan on chasing the Stars all over the ice in tonight's Game 6 matchup. |
"The distractions at home can get to you," right wing Randy McKay said. "People are telling how good you are and that you've got it wrapped up, and it's a done deal. You start taking your focus away from the job at hand."
New Jersey's task, of course, will be to close out the best-of-7 series after failing to do so at home in Thursday's 1-0 triple-overtime loss. With the disappointment of not treating their fans to a Cup celebration on home ice, the Devils subjected themselves to a brutal late-night flight back to Dallas on Friday.
"Both teams had a lot of travel yesterday," left wing Jay Pandolfo said. "We're all in the same boat."
The road team has won each of the last four games after the Devils' 7-3 series-opening blowout at Continental Airlines Arena. In taking Games 3 and 4, New Jersey dealt Dallas back-to-back losses at home for the first time in 32 games and improved to a postseason-best 9-2 record on the road.
To keep his club in a road-trip frame of mind, head coach Larry Robinson had the Devils stay in a New Jersey hotel before Game 5. They kept their focus, but Stars goalie Ed Belfour did, too -- for 106 minutes -- to stop all 48 shots for his fourth shutout of the playoffs.
"We can play well here," said center Bobby Holik, who failed to capitalize on six quality scoring chances in Game 5. "Just like we've done in the past."
A victory by the Devils would tie their own league record of 10 playoff road wins from their 1995 championship run. They'll get to raise the Cup above their heads, but in some respects, drinking champagne out of a suitcase would be just as fitting.
"We're just going to have to go out there and play a good hockey game," McKay said. "With this team, it doesn't matter where we are." |
