11/5 Pregame Notes: Devils at Flames
New Jersey Devils (9-3-0) at Calgary Flames (7-6-0) 9 PM ET / 7PM MT • Scotiabank Saddledome • MSG+ •The One Jersey Network
by James Stolfi / newjerseydevils.com
LAST GAME: Nov. 3 - NEW JERSEY 3 at EDMONTON 6
New Jersey suffered its first road loss (regulation or OT/SO) on Friday at Edmonton, 6-3, after starting the season 5-0-0 away from Prudential Center. The Devils had their three-game, winning-steak snapped and are 9-3-0 overall (5-1-0 road). They are 1-1-0 on this Western Canada road trip.
Oilers' captain Connor McDavid and Devils' forward Brian Boyle, who was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia this September, participated in the ceremonial face-off as part of Edmonton's Hockey Fights Cancer Night.
It was the first time this season the Devils did not have an opportunity on the man-advantage (last time; Mar. 26 vs. DAL. 2-1 OT - 20 games). New Jersey was shorthanded just once and Edmonton capitalized on the opportunity.
The Devils will face the Oilers for the second and final time during the regular season next week, Nov. 9 at Prudential Center.
Taylor Hall scored his fourth goal of the season and leads the Devils with 16PTS. He has has a four-game, points-streak (3G-4A), which ties Will Butcher's (6A, Oct. 11-17) season-high. Hall also led the team with 20:49 of ice-time and seven shots.
Jesper Bratt notched his fifth goal. His 11 points ranks third among all NHL rookies (tie, M. Sergachev). Bratt only trails Arizona's Clayton Keller (9g-6a-15pts) and teammate Will Butcher, who picked up his 12th assist/point.
Brian Gibbons scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season, breaking his previous career-high, after he had five goals in 41 games with Pittsburgh in 2013-14.
Cory Schneider stopped 36 of 41 (+1 ENG) shots and fell to 6-2-0 on the season.
TONIGHT'S GAME
New Jersey faces Calgary in its final contest of a three-game, Western Canada road trip. Six of the Devils' next eight games are against the Western Conference. The club is 3-2-0 (1-1-0 road) against the Western Conference and is 2-2-0 (1-1-0 road) when facing the Pacific Division in 2017-18.
The Devils are 5-1-0 away from Prudential Center and have not lost two consecutive games in 2017-18.
In 2016-17, New Jersey was 1-0-1 against the Flames (Jan. 13 @ CGY, 2-1 W / Feb. 3 @ NJD, 3-4 OT). The Devils are 1-2-1 in Calgary since the 2013-14 season (7-15-7 on road since 1982-83 season).
Kyle Palmieri led the Devils with three points (2G-1A) in two games against the Flames last season. Taylor Hall (1GWG-1A), Adam Henrique (1G-1A) and Miles Wood (2A) each had two points with New Jersey against Calgary last season. Additionally, Hall has 10 points (3g-7a) in his last seven games against the Flames.
Cory Schneider allowed four goals on 38 shots in his lone start against Calgary last season, a 4-3 OT loss at Prudential Center. Keith Kinkaid stopped 31 of 32 shots in the lone start of his career in Calgary, a 2-1 win on Jan. 13, 2017.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
GREENE - 2PTS for 200 in NHL/DEVILS
JOHANSSON - 5PTS for 300 in NHL.
HALL - 3PTS for 400 in NHL.
BOYLE - 7G for 100 in NHL.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Oct. 20: Placed G Cory Schneider (lower body) on I.R. (retro to Oct. 19). Recalled G Scott Wedgewood from Binghamton (AHL) under emergency conditions.
Oct. 28: Traded G Scott Wedgewood to Arizona in exchange for Arizona's fifth-round selection (previously acquired in the Michael Stone trade w/ CGY). Activated G Cory Schneider off I.R.
Nov. 1: Placed F Kyle Palmieri (lower body) on Injured Reserve, retroactive to 10/22/17. Activated F Brian Boyle (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) off I.R.
RED OCTOBER
The Devils closed-out the month of October with an 8-2-0 record. They are currently ranked first in the Metropolitan Division and are second in the Eastern Conference.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Devils are 5-1-0 away from the Prudential Center to start the season, and were the last team to remain undefeated on the road until Nov. 3 at EDM, 6-3 L. This is the club's best road start since 2009-10 when they started 9-0-0 on the road.