(SportsNetwork.com) – Martin Brodeur was for a long time the face of the New
Jersey Devils, but even the future Hall of Famer needed a rest every now and
then.
Current Devils netminder Cory Schneider figures to get a break at some point,
but it won’t be on Friday night as he is expected to make his 20th straight
start to begin the season as New Jersey visits the Edmonton Oilers.
Schneider has gone 8-8-2 with a 2.72 goals against average and .910 save
percentage in 19 starts this year. He yielded three goals on 34 shots in
Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets and matched Brodeur’s club record for
the most consecutive starts to begin a season that was set in 2001-02.
The 28-year-old Schneider is expected to break that mark tonight versus the
Oilers, who he has gone 5-2-0 against in nine games (7 starts) lifetime with a
1.82 GAA and .925 save percentage.
Patrik Elias was credited with a goal early in the third versus the Jets for
New Jersey, which has dropped two straight games and six of eight overall.
“We took a few too many penalties than we would like, but as we’ve seen in the
last few games, we’re much more confident on the penalty kill,” Schneider
said.
Center Adam Henrique returned to the New Jersey lineup after missing six games
with a lower-body injury, a welcome appearance on a four-game road trip that
continues on Saturday versus Calgary and then wraps on Tuesday against
Vancouver.
The Devils have won three of their last four meetings with the Oilers, though
they did lose a 5-4 shootout decision in their trip to Edmonton last season.
The Oilers will be looking to avoid a fifth consecutive setback tonight, going
0-3-1 over their skid.
Edmonton was last in action on Wednesday night when it lost 5-4 to Vancouver,
which got the go-ahead goal from Yannick Weber with 8:28 remaining. The loss
dropped the Oilers to 0-9-1 versus the Western Conference this season compared
to 6-2-1 against the East.
The Oilers had tied the game 6:21 into the final period on Andrew Ference’s
tally and also had a would-be tying goal by David Perron in the final seconds
waived off after it was ruled Perron kicked the puck in with his skate.
“There’s no more consolation prizes if we’re close,” said Edmonton goaltender
Ben Scrivens, who let in all five goals on 31 shots. “We have to find a way to
do it.”
Steven Pinizzotto, Teddy Purcell and Boyd Gordon each had a goal for Edmonton,
which is playing the fourth of a five-game homestand and concludes the stay on
Saturday with a visit from Chicago.
Scrivens is 1-0-1 with a 0.98 GAA and .951 save percentage in two prior
meetings with the Devils, posting a shutout, while backup Viktor Fasth has
never faced them.
