Dave Annable - Nothing, but hockey

Blog 1 - Tuesday, April 21

My grandpa and my dad got me going to games when I was younger because it was a lot cheaper than going to the Rangers games and you could get tickets. It was a lot easier for us to go to Devils games because the parking situation was better, so I grew up going to Devils games and I've stuck with them for all of these years.

We've had a pretty solid team for a long time. I even remember the Sean Burke and the Chris Terreri days when Neal Broten was on the team.

I love having Brendan Shanahan and Bobby Holik back, who is so strong it looks like he should be fighting in the UFC.

Travis Zajac's goal was huge in the last game, which was the first game I got to watch because I was in Hawaii for work. It seemed like the fans were going insane on TV in Carolina, it seemed like a KISS concert in there. For the Devils to score that first goal was huge, even though Carolina came back and scored right after that.

Zajac was due though and it had been 15 games since he scored a goal. To get it from one of leaders was huge.

When Brian Gionta scored with less than a minute left in the first period that was huge, because those are the goals that sting. When you have to sit in the dressing room for a full intermission after just giving up a goal that stings.

Once that game went to overtime I was nervous because we lost our last six games against the Hurricanes in overtime. I think that could be the big turning point in the series right there. You talk about big goals and to get that goal gives us the momentum going into Game 3.

The Devils outplayed the Hurricanes last game and it could have been 4-1 and they played really well. It was relieving knowing that they finally got that break in overtime.
If they can come out and play like they did in Game 3 I think they can take this game too.

When Jamie Langenbrunner got injured, that was scary. Hopefully we can win the next two games and that will give him some time to rest before the next series, but I don't want to get ahead of myself here, especially after they lost in the first round last season.
I feel good this year because if one of the guys goes down they have four other guys picking up the slack.

The depth is what carries a team through the playoffs and hopefully to the Stanley Cup. It's getting production out of depth forwards.

I think both goalies are playing great. You can't say enough about Cam Ward and I actually had the pleasure of playing in a golf tournament with him and Chad LaRose, but I still want the Devils to win all the way.

LaRose is a little guy like a John Madden; he's all over the ice and it looks like he works harder than anyone out there.

I'm finally home and I'm going to do nothing, but watch hockey.

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