New Jersey Devils rookie Adam Henrique making his mark in playoffs - New York Daily News

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Rookie Adam Henrique, who was sent to minors two games into season, sends Devils to Stanley Cup Finals with OT goal Friday.

WHILE HE HAS described Adam Henrique as unflappable throughout the second half of the season, Peter DeBoer’s first impression was that the rookie center was overwhelmed.

Coming off a solid season in the American Hockey League and with impressive credentials from juniors, Henrique was a disappointment in training camp and was quickly sent to the minors after the first two games. He was called back up a week later when Jacob Josefson broke his collarbone.

That may have been a key to the Devils’ season. Henrique returned from his demotion to center the top line most of the season and be a big contributor in the Devils’ playoff run.

“When he was first here in training camp I think he was kind of feeling his way,” DeBoer said. “When he came up the second time, he was decisive in his movements around the rink, in his decisions with the puck. There was no hesitation in what he was doing and what he wanted to do. I think the pressure had been relieved at that point. He was an American League player that was being called up with no expectations. A month before that when he came into camp, he was expected to do this, expected to do that. I think that relief of pressure allowed him to play his game.”

In the playoffs, Henrique, 22, has risen to the challenge. He has scored three goals; two have been overtime game-winners in clinching games. Friday night, Henrique pushed in the overtime goal that beat the Rangers and sent the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals.

“Probably the biggest goal of my career, so far,” Henrique said with a straight face.

His previous “biggest goal” was the game-winner in double overtime of Game 7 in the first-round against the Panthers, keeping the Devils’ season alive.

“It’s been a good month,” he admitted with a laugh.

The Devils need Henrique to continue his “good month,” as they face the Kings in the Finals beginning Wednesday night in Newark. Martin Brodeur, a veteran of three Cup-winning teams, said rookies like Henrique can make a difference.

“We’re fortunate to have one who is a pretty good game-breaker,” Brodeur said of Henrique. “He hasn’t just done it in the NHL, he has done it at different levels. We’ve had some in the past. We had Scott Gomez in 2000 who played really well and we had John Madden who scored some big goals for us that year, too. You get (rookies) to step up, you need them to be successful.

The Kings are living off that, too; they have some young guys playing well for them.”

Kings left wing Dwight King is tied for the lead among rookies with five goals in the playoffs. Henrique, who finished third in rookie scoring this season with 51 points, leads rookies with 11 in the playoffs.

And while that does not count in the Calder Trophy voting, which closed before the playoffs began, it counts more in the eyes of his teammates.

“To me, he is the rookie of the year,” Ilya Kovalchuk said.

COURTING KINGS: Kovalchuk admitted there would be some added incentive against the Kings, a team he almost signed with as a free agent in 2010. “I like it. It will be a little extra motivation for me,” Kovalchuk said. . . . Defenseman Henrik Tallinder, out since Jan. 17 with a blood clot in his leg, was cleared to return. DeBoer said he’d have no second thoughts about using Tallinder in the series.