Title Defense Not in Devils’ Plans Anymore

Bye-bye Devils, again. This year, they’re not talking about going to Nashville. They’re just going home.

By losing to the Ottawa Senators, 5-2, on Saturday at East Rutherford, N.J., the Devils became the first defending champion in 26 years to miss the playoffs.

The loss to the NHL’s worst team assured the Tampa Bay Lightning of a playoff berth for the first time in their four-year history.

“It was really hard to explain when we won it, and now it’s really hard to explain when we’re not in it,’ goalie Martin Brodeur said. “It’s a feeling that’s not fun for anyone.”

The Devils came into their regular-season finale needing to defeat Ottawa and hoping that Philadelphia would defeat Tampa Bay today.

But New Jersey, which has been inconsistent all season, didn’t get past the first step, as Ottawa scored four times in the third period to wipe out a 2-1 deficit.

“I’m not stunned,” center Bobby Holik said. “It’s not the result of tonight’s game. It’s not the result of the last 10 games when the playoff race heated up. It’s the result of the whole season.”

Tom Chorske, who was released by the Devils before the start of the season because the speedy forward didn’t make the most of his scoring chances, scored twice in the third period to finish off his old teammates.

Vancouver 5, Calgary 0--Markus Naslund’s hat trick represented his first points in 10 games since getting traded as the Canucks became the final team to clinch a playoff berth with a victory at Vancouver.

Kirk McLean stopped 33 shots to post his second shutout of the season and the 19 of his career. McLean stopped Calgary’s best chance at eight minutes of the third period when Kevin Dahl blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle that he got his left pad on.

Toronto 6, Edmonton 3--The Maple Leafs are playoff-bound thanks to goals by veterans Wendel Clark, Mike Gartner, Doug Gilmour, Mats Sundin and Dave Gagner in their victory over the Oilers at Toronto.

New York Islanders 5, Montreal 5--Stephane Quintal’s goal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation capped the Canadiens’ three-goal third period at New York and kept alive their chance for home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.

Buffalo 3, Washington 2--Pat LaFontaine scored the go-ahead goal with 4:33 left, capping a three-goal third period that lifted the Sabres at Landover, Md.

Hartford 2, Boston 0--Sean Burke made 34 saves and Nelson Emerson had a goal and assist as the Whalers shut out the Bruins in what could have been the Whalers’ last game in Hartford. The owners are considering a relocation if they can’t more than double the current season-ticket base to 11,000 by May 1.