NHL Preview from The Sports Network
Wednesday, November 26th (All times eastern)
New Jersey Devils (11-7-2) at Florida Panthers (8-11-1), 7:30 p.m.
(Sports Network) - The Devils have finally gotten used to winning without their franchise goaltender. New Jersey will try for its fifth straight victory this evening in a road test against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center.
The Devils have won a season-high four games in a row -- a run that includes a victory over Florida last Thursday -- extending their streak with Sunday's 7-3 win over Tampa Bay. That improved the club to 5-5-0 in 10 games since Martin Brodeur suffered a left elbow injury that required surgery and will sideline him for the next three-to-four months.
Dainius Zubrus entered Sunday's game with just two goals on the season, but matched a team record with four goals for his second-career hat trick. Brian Gionta scored in his fourth straight game and added an assist, while leading goal scorer Zach Parise notched his 13th tally of the season.
Gionta also has four assists over a five-game point streak, while Patrik Elias had three helpers to give him four goals and seven assists over a five-game run of his own.
New Jersey played without John Madden for a second straight game due to a foot injury, while Mike Mottau served the first contest of his two-game suspension for an elbow in Friday's win over the New York Islanders.
Scott Clemmensen made 26 saves in the win, his third straight and third since Brodeur suffered his elbow injury on November 1. The Devils are on their longest winning streak since posting five straight victories from February 16-24 of last season.
Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes have been sharing time in net since Brodeur's injury, and Clemmensen made 23 saves in a 3-1 home victory over the Panthers that was the Devils' fourth win in their last six versus Florida.
The Devils' four-goal win over the Lightning came in the opener of a five-game road trip and snapped a three-game slide as the visitor. New Jersey is 4-3-1 on the road this season.
The Panthers, meanwhile, snapped a two-game slide on Monday with a 3-2 victory over Carolina. Ville Peltonen scored twice and David Booth added his team- leading 10th goal of the season. Booth has lit the lamp in back-to-back games to give him six tallies in his last seven games.
Tomas Vokoun made 27 saves, including seven in the third period to preserve the victory.
With Nick Boynton missing the game due to a concussion, the Panthers added to their walking wounded when Richard Zednik suffered a left arm ailment that will sideline the forward for this contest.
Florida plays the middle portion of a three-game homestand tonight and is 5-3-0 in Sunrise this year. It has defeated New Jersey in three of its last five as the host.
11/26 11:03:07 ET