Red Wings, Devils Face Off New Jersey’s Trapping Defense Tests Detroit’s Speedy Offense

Heading into the Stanley Cup finals against the Devils, Shawn Burr of the Detroit Red Wings is weary of hearing about New Jersey’s “neutral-zone trap” and how it could frustrate the free-wheelers of Detroit’s powerful offense.

He is urging people to shut their traps on the subject, although he puts it more politely than that.

“We don’t worry too much about the other team,” Burr said. “We’ll let them adapt to what we do.”

It’s not that Burr and the Wings haven’t read the scouting reports or studied the videotapes. They know the Devils will try to squeeze the energy and enthusiasm out of them by clogging the ice between the blue lines, forcing the flow of skating against the boards and breaking up plays before they form.

“They try to slow it down in the neutral zone and they will try to lull you with the trap into thinking they aren’t a finesse team,” Burr said. “You can’t let them slow it down to a walk. We’re confident with our skill level that we can attack with speed and play in their end.”

Detroit’s offensive skill, responsible defensive play and good goaltending have made the Wings the favorites to take their first Cup since 1955. While they were ousting Dallas, San Jose and Chicago in the Western Conference with 12 victories in 14 games, the Devils were advancing in the East by beating Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia 12 times in 16 games.

This four-of-seven-game series, the latest championship round in National Hockey League history, will begin tonight in Joe Louis Arena, which is on the edge of the river that separates the United States from Canada.

With the opener and possibly two more games to be carried on the Fox network, the sport will be getting its best prime-time television exposure in the United States in its history.

But a boring or one-sided series could kill what momentum remains after a lockout-delayed season and a flurry of franchise-relocation rumors involving three teams, including the Devils.