Devils’ Trio Finds a Way to Step Into the Spotlight

Jason Arnott has learned a lot since the Edmonton Oilers traded him to the New Jersey Devils 2 1/2 years ago.

From former Devil coach Jacques Lemaire, the 25-year-old center absorbed the intricacies of playing defense. From teammate Scott Stevens, who took him in as a boarder, Arnott learned the importance of physical play.

And from his linemates of nearly two seasons, Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora, Arnott learned how to enjoy himself again after being booed mercilessly in Edmonton. But there’s one lesson the two wingers haven’t yet hammered home.

“They haven’t taught me any Czech yet, that’s for sure,” Arnott said, laughing.

No need. Elias and Sykora, longtime friends and teammates in their native Czech Republic, have communicated well enough with their Canadian linemate for the trio to establish supremacy over the Dallas Stars’ more glamorous top line of Mike Modano, Brett Hull and Jere Lehtinen or Brenden Morrow in the Stanley Cup finals.

The line combined for four goals and 11 points in the Devils’ series-opening 7-3 rout but was blanked in a 2-1 loss in Game 2 and was on the ice for both Dallas goals. Devil Coach Larry Robinson talked about separating them, but they rewarded his faith in Game 3, when Arnott scored the tying goal and Sykora scored the winner in the Devils’ 2-1 victory at Reunion Arena. Arnott is the top scorer in the finals with three goals and six points; Sykora is second, with three goals and five points, and Elias is third with three assists.

“We’ve got high expectations for ourselves,” Elias said Sunday. “This is a game of mistakes and we didn’t play smart [in Game 2] but I don’t think it’s the right approach to blame individuals for a loss because this is a team.”

The three have played well since about the time they were united by then-coach Robbie Ftorek.

“When we first got put together, we were all excited about it,” said Arnott, the biggest of the trio at 6 feet 4 and 220 pounds. “I knew these were guys I really wanted to play with just [because of] their talent, their attitude toward the game, their willingness to go out and perform every night and want to win. They have a lot of fun together and I wanted to be part of that.”

Each brings an element the Stars have had trouble combating. Arnott’s size is obvious, but his maturity and willingness to fight through checks has been a revelation. The puckhandling skills Sykora and Elias bring to the mix are no surprise, but the Stars may not have counted on the pair’s tenacity.

“They play like they’re 220-pound guys out there,” Arnott said. “They’re not afraid to go in the corners. European players have been given [reputations for] a certain style of play and they’re not like that. They play a Canadian style.

“The way they create and see the ice is amazing, and it’s nice to know you’re playing with two guys that care about the game as much as you do and want to win as much as you do.”

Said Dallas left wing Kirk Muller: “Sometimes, they just throw the puck in areas that they know they’re going to be, so you have to be aware of that. We have to start containing that line.”

That won’t be easy.

“Myself and [Derian] Hatcher, if we are physical and we can shut them down, we’re going to give ourselves and our team a pretty good chance to win,” Dallas defenseman Richard Matvichuk said.

First, the Stars must catch the two speedy Czechs and get a better hold on Arnott, who scored New Jersey’s first goal Saturday with Hatcher and Sylvain Cote draped over him like human sweaters.

Elias, who plays the left side, and Sykora finished one-two among the Devils with 35 and 25 goals, respectively. Elias was the top scorer with 72 points, two more than Gomez, four more than Sykora and 16 more than Arnott, who missed six games because of injuries.

“Arnie has got a really big body. He can go in and make those big checks for us and he’s got a really good shot,” Sykora said. “Patty can score goals and is going to be scoring goals in this league for a long time, and he’s playing a little tougher than he played before. . . . I’m there just to create those scoring chances.”

None is going into tonight’s game with a sense of complacency.

“I think we have to stay patient, especially our line,” Sykora said. “And if we’re going to stick with our system, you will have scoring chances. . . . We realized this is a game of mistakes and the less mistakes we make, we will have a better chance to win. Our whole line realized that if that’s going to lead us to win the Stanley Cup . . . then we’ve got to sacrifice.”