With a total of just three shots in the first period on Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, the Devils lost to the Panthers, 3-2, on Monday night. The game marked the end of a stretch of seven games in 12 days, and the Devils finished it with a record of 3-2-2.
Here are 10 takeaways from the game:
1. Cory Schneider got the start for the Devils and he faced off against Florida's Luongo. The two goaltenders were once a duo when both played for the Vancouver Canucks organization.
2. It was a slow start to the game for the Devils who registered their first shot on net 6:20 into the first period. Schneider kept his team in the game from the get-go, stopping all 16 shots he faced in the first period, while Luongo faced only three in the opening stanza.
3. Schneider's night wouldn't be any less busy in the second period. By the 9:00 mark of the second, Schneider had reached 25 saves on 25 shots.
4. The Devils struggled in the shot department all night long, after a three-shot first period New Jersey managed just seven in the second period for 10 shots through 40 minutes of play. By game's end, the shot total had reached 38-25 in favor of the Panthers.
5. Travis Zajac had an equipment malfunction during a penalty kill in the first period. Zajac was hit along the boards in the offensive zone by Florida's Aaron Ekblad. Zajac's skate took the brunt of the hit, with his skate blade popping off. The forward had to pull himself along the Panthers bench on one skate to get to the Devils' bench and off the ice.
6. The Panthers were the first to strike on the scoreboard. On their 30th shot on net at 17:20 of the second period, Panthers center Alexander Barkov beat Schneider on a 2-on-1 opportunity on the penalty kill. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead into the third period.
7. Nico Hischier was able to celebrate a goal on home ice for the first time. On just the Devils' 11th shot on net at 2:20 of the third period, Hischier potted his fifth goal of the season, and his first at Prudential Center. Hischier's 18th point of the season ties him with Will Butcher for second on the Devils' roster. The goal also tied the game 1-1.
Pavel Zacha picked up the assist on the play, his fourth of the season and sixth point.
Tweet from @NJDevils: "Run the give-and-go." #FLAvsNJD pic.twitter.com/fTCRtEK5Wb
8. The 1-1 lead wouldn't last long, as the Panthers scored just moments after Hischier tied the game. At 4:07 of the third, Vincent Trocheck scored his 10th of the season on the Panthers' 33rd shot of the night.
9. Jesper Bratt scored the easiest goal of his career against the Panthers. His seventh of the season came unassisted at 8:19 of the third when his pass in front of the net bounced into the net off Florida's Ekblad's skate. The goal tied the game at 2-2 with 11:41 left in regulation.
Tweet from @NJDevils: Hey...We'll take it. #FLAvsNJD pic.twitter.com/nmmbjPNFAr
10. The Devils will now head out onto the road for a three-game road trip starting Friday night in Colorado. The trip will also make stops in Arizona and Columbus.
They return to Prudential Center Dec. 8, when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets for Star Wars Night.
Tickets are available.
