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Clemmensen Registers Consecutive Shutouts
The dream season of New Jersey Devil’s backup goalie Scott Clemmensen got that much better on Friday night when the five- year veteran stopped 31 shots in shutting out the Eastern Division leading Boston Bruins by a 1-0 score.
It’s been quite the ride for this 31 year-old who a year ago found himself out of the NHL and playing for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
Last summer Clemmensen who was a Devils draft pick back in 1997, came back to New Jersey to serve as a backup to four time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur.
In November hockey experts were expecting the Devils to fall once Brodeur got injured but Clemmensen to his credit took advantage of the opportunity and has definitely been the talk around the league.
Coming into the season with only eight NHL wins under his belt, Clemmensen has already posted 24 wins with approximately 30 games still remaining.
“I don’t know what is going to happen when he comes back,” Clemmensen said in reference to Brodeur who is due back in early March. “I just know that if called upon, I’m going to play the best that I can.” “It’s taken me so long, and it’s been so hard to get here that I’m not going to take any game for granted or any situation for granted.”
After not earning a shutout since March 2004, Clemmensen had the hockey world buzzing on Friday after completing his second straight shutout in blanking the Bruins.
Showing to be the ultimate team player he wanted to talk about the team’s success as opposed to the shutouts with the first one coming last Monday against the New York Rangers.
“We’ve really made a strong push to get to the top of the standings,” said Clemmensen whose team has won 12 of 14 games. “If we’re going to make that next push and be an elite level team in this league, we’ve got to beat teams like this.”(Boston) “We know we can beat anyone in the league no matter what.”
Tim Thomas was stellar in net but would like to have had a mulligan on the shot by Bryce Salvador that beat him for the game’s lone goal.
“I picked it up right away.” “I had plenty of time,” Thomas said. “That was the easiest shot of the night.” “They kind of lull you to sleep.” “All of a sudden you get a shot that’s so soft you just miss it.”
With the win New Jersey is only 10 points behind the top seeded Bruins.
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