(SportsNetwork.com) – The New Jersey Devils will try to avoid matching their
longest losing streak of the season when they host the Ottawa Senators for
Wednesday’s clash at Prudential Center.
The Devils are currently in an 0-2-2 slide, marking the franchise’s fourth
losing streak of four games or longer this season. New Jersey’s only five-game
drought came during an 0-3-2 stretch from Nov. 22-Dec. 2.
New Jersey suffered its latest setback Monday on Long Island, as the Devils
fell to the New York Islanders in a shootout despite scoring the game’s first
two goals.
Marek Zidlicky and Scott Gomez scored in the first period for the Devils, but
Josh Bailey and Matt Martin each tallied in the second and third to help New
York send the game to overtime. Bailey also would provide the winning goal in
the shootout to lift the Isles to the 3-2 decision.
With the shootout knotted at 1-1 heading into the fifth round, Bailey was able
to sneak a low shot between the pads of Keith Kinkaid, and Jacob Josefson
missed the net on New Jersey’s last chance.
Kinkaid, a Long Island native, gave workhorse goaltender Cory Schneider a
rare night off and stopped 31 shots in the loss.
“Well we got one point so start there and go home,” said Gomez. “It’s no
reason to get frustrated because we played well enough. Give them credit, they
came back and it’s a good club over there.”
Jaromir Jagr had two assists in the loss, moving him past Steve Yzerman for
sole possession of seventh all time with 1,065 helpers. Adam Oates is sixth
with 1,079.
Mike Cammalleri missed Wednesday’s game with a bruised tailbone and the Devils
forward is questionable for tonight. Cammalleri is leading New Jersey with
11 goals despite playing in only 23 of 32 games this season. Fellow forward
Dainius Zubrus has sat out the last four games with a cut on his leg and is
considered day-to-day.
Schneider is expected to return to the New Jersey crease tonight. He is 2-0-1
with a 1.26 goals against average in three career games against the Senators.
The Devils, who have played an NHL-low 11 games on home ice this season, are
kicking off a four-game stay at the Prudential Center tonight. New Jersey is
3-4-4 as the host this season.
New Jersey is 1-0 against the Senators this season after posting a 3-2
overtime victory in Ottawa on Oct. 25. Jagr registered the OT winner in that
meeting, while Schneider turned aside 33 shots for the win.
Ottawa has claimed five of seven overall in this series, but the Devils have
taken three of five and nine of the last 12 encounters in the Garden State.
The Senators have gone 1-1-1 so far under Dave Cameron, who took over for
fired head coach Paul MacLean last week. Ottawa hopes to give Cameron his
second NHL victory tonight when its completes a three-game road trip.
Ottawa rallied to earn a point from its most recent outing, Monday’s 5-4
shootout loss in Buffalo.
The Sens jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the first period, but the Sabres
scored the next three goals to go ahead 3-1 by the early stages of the second.
Ottawa would answer with three unanswered goals of its own to grab a 4-3 edge
at 5:04 of the third, but Brian Flynn scored for Buffalo with 3:29 remaining
in regulation to send the game to OT.
Matt Moulson eventually delivered the win for the Sabres by scoring the lone
goal of the shootout.
Curtis Lazar scored his first NHL goal in the back-and-forth affair,
while Alex Chiasson tallied a goal and an assist for the Sens, who delivered
Cameron’s first victory in Saturday’s shootout win in Boston.
Robin Lehner stopped 29 pucks in the losing effort. Craig Anderson will start
tonight’s game and owns a 7-2-1 mark and a 2.05 GAA in his career against New
Jersey.
Ottawa lost for the fifth time in six away games on Monday and fell to 6-8-3
as the guest this season.
