Game 1 Stanley Cup Final tonight in Newark

The 2012 Stanley Cup playoff culminate with the Final which begins tonight at 8 pm at the Prudential Center in Newark. The Devils will face-off with the Los Angeles Kings.

The teams took far different routes to arrive at this point. The Kings knocked off the #1, 2 and 3 seeds out west while the Devils defeated the #3, 5 and 1 seeds. The Kings sport a playoff record of 12-2 while the Devils arrive here with a 12-7 record. A lot of hockey writers and prognosticators look at the Kings haughty 12-2 mark thus far and think they are a shoo-in. In fact on the ESPN poll on this series ONLY The state of New Jersey thought the Devils would win. Every other state picked L.A.

Johnny remembers when Sidney Crosby and the Penguins showed up at Joe Louis Arena for game 1 of the 2008 Final after blasting through the Eastern Conference with a 12-2 mark. The Wings were 35 seconds away from dispatching the Pens in five games that year, instead closing them out in six. 12-2 means nothing.

Goaltending? That does matter and right now Mr. Quick with L.A. would have to get that checkbox next to his name. Nothing wrong with the way Brodeur is playing and maybe that's the key. He doesn't have to stand on his head to be successful but he can.

The Kings have big forwards, tree sized forwards on some lines. The Devils defense will have to manage that but this IS the Final and there is not another series to save yourself for. The Kings love that go-go forecheck game the same as New Jersey does. The Kings might be a little faster at it but it only matters whom can execute that forecheck better. We're going to call this even.

The Devils powerplay has a whole new aspect to worry about, shorthanded goals. The Kings have five of them this playoff run. They gutted Vancouver with shorthanded goals. Not only are the Devils going to have to get offense out of their powerplay but some defense as well.

We could go on and on and on about his matchup or that. There are several leading hockey websites who can do that with cool pictures and graphics and everything. If you want the bells and whistles head on out as Johnny will merely make a prediction using words.

The Devils are the underdogs according to the media and online fan polls but are they REALLY? Ask an expert like Johnny and you might get a different answer that they might give. Does Johnny want the Devils to win? Remember he's a Wings fan and this would give the Devils four cups along with Detroit in the very modern era. No plusses in picking the Devils for that. Does he think the Devils will win? Well friend he thinks it is a tossup. But he will lay this prediction on you:

Devils in Seven

MATTEAU! MATTEAU!, er wait, HENRIQUE! HENRIQUE! HENRIQUE!

DEVILS WIN IN OT! Onto the Final!

Adam Henrique scored early in overtime and the Devils dispatched the top seeded New York Rangers tonight 3-2 at the Prudential Center. Just about everything Johnny predicted for this series has come to pass including his call of Devils in 6 games. If you'd like to be creeped out even more on the Jersey Journal web page asking fans to predict headlines for tomorrow morning Johnny posted "Henrique is King! Adam's 2nd OT Goal Sends Devils to Final." Just one overtime off.

That's right kids, when you want hockey analysis you come here, leave the guesswork to the beat writers and teevee talking heads.

The Final begins Wednesday night at the Prudential Center at 8 pm. Ranger fans can tune in on NBC.

Make sure to follow Johnny on the Twitter this afternoon

For some awesome in game pictures and analysis. If your Twitter is tuned HERE your Twitter is tuned RIGHT!

Devils vs. Flyers Game 4

Famed and colorful CBC analyst Don Cherry is on record saying game 4 is the key to a series. If you're up 2-1 you can grab a stranglehold. If you're down you can claw back and level it at 2-2 and settle in for a long series. Such a game presents itself tonight at the Prudential Center.

The Devils are going to have to weather the Flyers best effort. If they don't see it from the Flyers then they have already most likely won this series. The Flyers have the offense and the confidence they can fight back. The funny thing about confidence in the playoffs is once it begins to get nicked even a little it can slide away fast. Call the Blues when their plane lands back in St. Louis in a few hours. The Flyers are at that point. They're not as mentally tough as the Devils and they have a couple human retaliatory penalties looking for a place to happen. This is the game that famed steely resolve of Devils teams past must manifest itself current day. Grind hard for 60. Turn the other cheek. Make the first hit. Play in the corners like you brought the puck.

And the birthday boy has to come up huge. Marty can't win tonight. If he wins it's happy birthday to an elder NHL statesman on a big win and the Devils played well and if he loses, oh boy, a 40th birthday will never have more over the hill comments made about it. Again, just outplay the guy at the other end. You know, if you and a friend are running on the African plains and you're being chased by a hyena, you don't have to be faster than the hyena, just faster than your friend.

Philadelphia's continued willingness to give up the middle of the ice and allowing the Devils to carry the puck across the Philly blueline because they fear the Devils speed to the outside is working well for New Jersey. They can skate it in and set up or get to center and make good dump ins to get their quite effective cycle game going. Hopefully David Clarkson can pop a couple goals tonight, introduce a Flyer or two to the smell of his gloves and give the Flyers even more to worry about.

Johnny's not making a prediction, everytime he does the Devils lose. So he'll just leave it at this; play 60, play aggressive, play smart and play fast. The Flyers have a glass jaw, hopefully the Devils can find it tonight.

No overtime magic for you -- Rangers lose in regulation

Unable to get a tying goal late the Rangers lost 3-2 in regulation to the Washington Capitals and head back to MSG for game 5 tied at 2-2. Johnny would hazard a guess that right now Devils fans and Rangers fans are seeing their teams differently. More on the Devils all important game 4 tomorrow.

Devils win in overtime -- take 2-1 series lead!

And Johnny has you covered. Sadly the phone battery only lasts so long and although Alexi Ponikarovsky scored not 15 feet from Johnny you'll just have to enjoy the incomparable Bob Cole on CBC with the call of the winner.

Now for Johnny's shots:

Johnny's an anxiety ridden mess this morning

Must be time for something, but what? What could possibly have his blood pressure volting today? Ah yes, the tournament starts tonight...

The NHL guys could have done a better job with these but here they are, the promo videos for Detroit, The Devils and the Rangers...






So, tell us who ya got and why. Lend us some of your hockey knowledge this morning.