19. february 2013 / THE PATRIK ELIAS WEEKLY RECAP (FEBRUARY 12-FEBRUARY 18)

Through 16 games, Patrik’s 19 points (4 goals, 15 assists) leads the Devils and is good enough for ninth in the NHL.

HURRICANES AT DEVILS

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Score: Hurricanes 4, Devils 2

New Jersey saw their 5-game winning streak come to an end as Carolina bested them 4-2 on home ice. Patrik picked up assist number 12 of the year on an Ilya Kovalchuk first period power play goal—a roaring shot from the point that went in and out of the net so fast it had to be reviewed upstairs before it was officially counted.

FLYERS AT DEVILS

Friday, February 15, 2013

Score: Devils 5, Flyers 3

What was strange: There were only two penalties called between these usually feisty rivals compared to the 70 penalty minutes they shared the last time they met. What wasn’t strange: Patrik Elias was dominant against the Flyers, the team he’s spent his career terrorizing. Number 26 racked up yet another 3-point game (1 goal, 2 assists) to help his team rally back from a 3-1 deficit to take the game 5-3.

Patrik’s goal, which came late in the second period, tied the game at three. Kovalchuk cut off a Philadelphia clearing attempt and fed Patrik who was skating with a full head of steam into the high slot. Patrik ripped a hard one-timer that squeezed through goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov’s right arm and trickled in over the line. In the third, Patrik registered the secondary assist on David Clarkson’s game-winning goal and added a helper on Steve Bernier’s empty net marker to put the Flyers away.

DEVILS AT ISLANDERS

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Score: Islanders 5, Devils 1

Patrik had the primary assist on the only New Jersey goal of this 5-1 loss in Long Island. The goal came midway through the third period with the Devils down 3-0. While on the power play, Patrik threw a picture perfect cross-ice pass over to defenseman Marek Zidlicky at the right point who blasted the puck in high. It wasn’t enough however as the Devils suffered their second regulation loss in three games.

SENATORS AT DEVILS

Monday, February 18, 2013

Score: Senators 2, Devils 1 (SO)

The Devils couldn’t build on an early 1-0 lead and fell to the Ottawa Senators 2-1 in a shootout in front of 17,625 at the Prudential Center. In this President’s Day matinee, both teams seemed unable to sustain consisted pressure throughout and despite a great performance by Martin Brodeur, the Devils lost the lead midway through the third period and failed to score on three shootout attempts in the losing effort.

“We never got momentum going. We worked hard but we worked hard without the puck and you can’t be successful that way. We just have to get back to winning and having fun,” said Patrik to the media after the loss.

In addition to Patrik’s team-leading 19 points he currently boasts a +10 rating.

(Dan Altano)