(SportsNetwork.com) – Cory Schneider had to fight for playing time when he was
a member of the Vancouver Canucks, but the goaltender is the clear-cut No. 1
option for the New Jersey Devils.
Schneider will face his old team for the third time when his Devils visit the
Canucks on Tuesday in the finale of a four-game road trip.
Roberto Luongo and Schneider once battled for playing time during their days
suiting up for the Canucks, but neither netminder is with Vancouver any
longer. Luongo has moved on to become the No. 1 goalie for Florida, while
Schneider has become a workhorse for the Devils.
Before finally getting a rest the last time out, Schneider had started each of
New Jersey’s first 20 games, something even the great Martin Brodeur did not
accomplish during his long tenure with the Devils. But after the Devils fell
in a 5-4 shootout decision against the Flames on Saturday, the 28-year-old
will be back between the pipes tonight.
Schneider posted a shutout — his second of the season — in Friday’s 2-0 win
at Edmonton. After Schneider’s 29-save performance, the Devils watched backup
Scott Clemmensen allow four goals on 37 shots through regulation and overtime
in Saturday’s loss in Calgary.
Clemmensen then allowed two goals in the shootout phase, as the Devils lost
for the third time in four games and fell to 6-6-1 as the road team this
season.
New Jersey should have escaped Calgary with a regulation win as it held leads
of 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 before allowing the Flames to send the game to an extra
session. The Flames scored two goals with their goalie pulled late in
regulation, with Curtis Glencross tying the game with five ticks left in the
third period.
Adam Henrique notched a goal and an assist in the loss, while Mike Cammalleri
scored in his return to Calgary. Cammalleri, who also had a goal in the
shootout, played the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Flames before signing as a
free agent in July.
“I think it was a real entertaining game,” said Cammalleri. “I had a lot of
fun playing it.”
Schneider, who was traded to New Jersey prior to the 2013-14 season, is 0-0-2
with a 2.36 goals against average in his first two encounters against the
Canucks. He lost in a 3-2 OT decision in his return to Vancouver on Oct. 8 of
last season and dropped a 3-2 shootout contest versus the Canucks later that
month in New Jersey.
The Canucks, who are 14-6-1 this season, have dominated the Devils in recent
years, taking five straight and 10 of the last 12 encounters. They also have
won five of their last six home tests against New Jersey and are 15-3-1 with a
tie in the past 20 meetings in British Columbia.
Vancouver boasts a 4-1-1 record over its last six games and has split the
first two tests of a three-game homestand that ends tonight.
Willie Desjardins’ club began this residency with Thursday’s shootout loss to
Anaheim, but rebounded Sunday with a 4-1 triumph over Chicago.
Jannik Hansen notched his first career hat trick to lift the Canucks, who
broke a 1-1 tie with three unanswered goals in the third period. Hansen’s
second goal proved to be the game-winner and he later completed the hat trick
with an empty-net marker. The Danish winger has eight goals in 21 games in
2014-15 after scoring 11 times in 71 tilts last season/
“We want to get back to the playoffs,” said Hansen. “If I can contribute,
that’s what matters.”
Bo Horvat tallied the first three assists of his young NHL career and Derek
Dorsett supplied two helpers for the Canucks. Ryan Miller stopped 24-of-25
shots fired his way in the win.
Miller is expected to start tonight for Vancouver. The veteran is 12-11-5 with
a 2.16 GAA in 28 career games (27 starts) against the Devils.
The Canucks could get forward Alexandre Burrows back tonight after missed the
last two games due to an upper-body injury. However, defenseman Dan Hamhuis is
expected to miss a second straight tilt due to a lower-body issue.
