"The Devils still aren't ready for crunch time.

They keep finding themselves wanting — wanting a way to stop collapsing in the third period and wanting a way to win the big ones against the best teams.

The Devils fell well short again when measuring themselves against contenders, losing 4-1 to the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins last night in Newark.

The Devils have been building themselves up just to be beaten down by the NHL's elite, like moles at the arcade. A 4-1 trouncing by the rising Rangers last month snapped a four-game winning streak and trashed their budding self-esteem. A 6-1 rout by the Bruins 16 days ago utterly humbled them."