Devils Do Everything Right in Game 5 Win

        As a Devils fan, I was obviously pleased with the Devils defeating the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in Game 5, but the way that they played tonight was really the icing on the cake for me. The Devils did everything right in this game. Their power play finally contributed, with Zach Parise scoring a power play goal in the first period. New Jersey's power  play was in control of their man-advantage situation, unlike the previous games in this series where the Los Angeles penalty kill was completely dominant. One player that I was particularly impressed with tonight was defenseman Bryce Salvador. Salvador, who played all 82 regular season games, scoring no goals and nine assists, scored his fourth goal of the playoffs tonight, to go along with his ten playoff assists. This guy is the epitome of rising to the occasion. He's really stepped his game up for the Devils, and his play has been a huge factor in New Jersey's postseason success.

        Another individual effort that cannot be ignored was that of goaltender Martin Brodeur. Brodeur was sensational in this game, standing on his head at times to keep the Devils in the game. Without Brodeur's standout performance tonight, the Devils would not have won the game. He's the backbone of this team, and it really showed tonight. He looked calm in the net and he kept his composure in critical situations. If there's one reason the Devils won this game, it's Martin Brodeur. The Devils have all the momentum now. They handed the Kings their first road playoff loss, and now have the chance to tie the series at three wins apiece on Monday. This team has proved that they have it in them to come back in this series. On Monday, we'll see if they can really pull this off.