New Jersey Devils (25-27-9) vs. Boston Bruins (29-22-9)
7:00 PM ET • Prudential Center • MSG Plus • Sports Radio 66 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN
Pre-Game Availability
- New Jersey will have a 10:30 AM morning skate at Prudential Center.
Coming Into Tonight
- New Jersey is closing out its season-high six-game homestand tonight. The Devils are 4-1-0 on the homestand thus far, have points in 14 of their last 17 games at The Rock (11-3-3) and are 15-9-7 at home overall.
- Tonight’s contest opens the club’s 15th of 18 sets of back-to-back games (tomorrow at Columbus, 5:00 PM). New Jersey is 6-5-3 in first games and 5-6-3 in second games when playing on consecutive dates.
- The Devils will return to Prudential Center/open a three-game homestand on Tuesday vs. Nashville (7:00 PM).
Tonight’s Opponent
- Boston is 2-6-2 in it last ten games following a 2-1 loss to Vancouver on Tuesday.
- Patrice Bergeron leads Boston with 17g-25a-42pts this season, including 6g-4a-10pts over the last 12 games.
- Dougie Hamilton leads all Bruins’ defensemen with 10g-24a-34pts and has recorded 2g-5a-7pts over the last eight games.
- Tuukka Rask has played in a career-high 18 straight games (16 starts) dating back to January 10 at Philadelphia. He’s 8-6-3 with one shutout, a 2.08 goals-against average and .931 save-percentage during that stretch. It is the most consecutive regular season games played by a Boston goaltender since Tim Thomas played 18 straight from January 27-March 3, 2007.
Last Game: February 25 – Devils 1 vs. Calgary 3
- The Devils had their season-high four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 0-4-1 in their last five games vs. the Flames.
- New Jersey outshot Calgary, 27-26.
- Mike Cammalleri scored his 23rd goal of the season and extended his point-scoring streak to four games (5g-1a-6pts). With 31pts overall, he’s tied Adam Henrique (12g-19a-31pts) for the team-lead.
- Cammalleri scored a goal in both games vs. the Flames this season and has 8g-4a-12pts in 16 career appearances against his former team.
- Jordin Tootoo registered the lone assist and has points in a career-high (tie, November 23-28, 2009, 0g-4a-4pts) four straight games (1g-3a-4pts).
- Cory Schneider (23 saves + ENG) made his league-leading (tie, Braden Holtby) 52nd start in goal and fell to 22-23-5 on the season.
- Despite the loss, Schneider is 10-5-1, with one shutout, a 1.72 goals-against average & .943 save-percentage in 18 appearances in 2015.
Devils vs. Bruins
- Tonight’s game is the third/final meeting between the Eastern Conference rivals this season and the only contest to be played at Prudential Center.
- Boston leads the season series 2-0-0 following a 3-0 win on January 8 at TD Garden.
- The Bruins have outscored the Devils, 7-2, overall and hold a 66-42 advantage in total shots on goal.
- Travis Zajac (1g-1a) and Mike Cammalleri (2a) have each recorded 2pts to lead the Devils, while Patrice Bergeron has posted 1g-3a-4pts for the Bruins.
- Cory Schneider (0-2-0, 3.11 goals-against average & .908 save-percentage) has started both games for New Jersey.
- Niklas Svedberg (1-0-0, 1 ShO, 0.00 GAA & 1.000 save %) and Tuukka Rask (1-0-0, 2.00 GAA & .929 save %) have split the goaltending duties for Boston.
- Patrik Elias is the Devils’ all-time leading scorer vs. the Bruins with 24g-22a-46pts in 62 games.
- Cammalleri now has 7g-9a-16pts in 18 career appearances vs. Boston.
- Schneider is now 1-2-0 with a 3.09 GAA average and .913 save %in his three career starts vs. the Bruins.
- The Devils trail the all-time series 43-54-17, including a 23-25-7 in their previous 55 home games.
- New Jersey is 3-11-2 vs. Boston since the start of the 2010-11 season.
Boston Connections
- Michael Ryder spent three seasons with Boston and was a member of its 2010-11 Stanley Cup Championship team.
- Cory Schneider is from nearby Marblehead, MA and, along with Scott Clemmensen, Stephen Gionta and Peter Harrold, attended Boston College.
- Albany Devils’ forward Joe Whitney also went to B.C., and defensive prospect Steven Santini is currently in his sophomore season with the Eagles.
- Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien spent the 2006-07 season behind the Devils’ bench.
- Boston’s Development Coach Jay Pandolfo played 13 seasons in New Jersey and was a member of its 1999-00 and 2002-03 Stanley Cup Championship teams.
- Bruins Scout Tom McVie served as Devils’ Head Coach for parts of three seasons: 1983-83, 1990-91 & 1991-92.
Notes
- GOMEZ PASSES HOLIK, CLOSING IN ON MacLEAN: Scott Gomez scored his fifth goal of the season on February 23 vs. Arizona and, with 121g-352a-473pts in his Devils career, has passed Bobby Holik (202g-270a-472pts) for sole-possession of fifth-place on the team’s all-time scoring list. Scott Niedermayer (112g-364a-476pts) is fourth. Gomez is also just two assists behind John MacLean (354a) for third-place in Devils’ history. He posted the 338th assist of his Devils’ career on December 15 at the NY Islanders to pass Scott Stevens (337a) for fourth-place. On December 8 at Carolina, he recorded 2a to tie/surpass Kirk Muller (335a) on New Jersey’s all-time list.
- CORY’S NUMBER ONE: Cory Schneider ranks first with a 2.10 goals-against average (2nd, Henrik Lundqvist, 2.18) and a .927 save-percentage (2nd, Tuukka Rask, .925) among goaltenders that have played in at least 100 games since the start of 2010-11.
- LARSSON GETTING OFFENSIVE: Adam Larsson has posted 1g-12a-13pts in 21 games since January 3; he had 2g-11a-13pts in his previous 85 appearances dating back to the start of the 2012-13 season.
- WINNING TOUCH: Mike Cammalleri scored his eighth game-winning goal of the season on February 20 vs. Vancouver, which ties his career-high (also, 2013-14) & leads the NHL (tie, Matt Beleskey & Alex Ovechkin) this season. Cammalleri has 13 GWG over his last 64 appearances dating back to March 12, 2014. He scored the game-winning goal in four consecutive non-shootout victories from January 14-February 3, matching the longest single-season streak of its kind in franchise history. The only other player to do so was Colorado’s Denis Dupere in 1977-78. Montreal’s Lars Eller (October 25 – November 13) is the only other NHL player to do so this season. credit Elias Sports Bureau
- ZAJAC APPEARS IN 600TH GAME: On February 17 vs. Buffalo, Travis Zajac became the 14th player (eighth forward) to play in 600 games with Devils. Zajac made his NHL debut on October 6, 2006 in the season-opener at Carolina and played in a franchise record 401 consecutive games from October 26, 2006-April 10, 2011.
- PATRIK PLAYS IN 1,200TH GAME: Patrik Elias appeared in his 1,200th career game on February 13 at Chicago, becoming the 103rd player in NHL history to do so. Dainius Zubrus was the last NHL player to reach the milestone on December 31 at Detroit. Elias made his NHL debut on December 7, 1995 vs. Toronto and has spent his entire career with New Jersey; he ranks 16th all-time (tie, Larry Robinson, Montreal) in games played for one NHL franchise.
- ELIAS REACHES THREE NHL MILESTONES: Patrik Elias scored the 400th goal of his career on February 6 vs. Toronto, becoming the 91st player in NHL history to reach the milestone. He posted 1g-2a-3pts Jan. 6 vs. Buffalo, including his 600th assist/1,000th point. Elias was the 80th player to record 600a and the 82nd to compile 1,000pts. Of the 81 previous players to reach 1000pts, only one matched Elias in also hitting a century milestone in either goals or assists in the same game in which he scored his 1,000th point. That was Boston’s Jean Ratelle, whose 1,000th career point was also his 600th assist (April 3, 1977 vs. Toronto). Ratelle had scored his 400th goal the day before. credit Elias Sports Bureau
- IRON MAN: Andy Greene has played in 208 straight games dating back to March 6, 2012 and is just the sixth player (Aaron Broten did so twice) in team history to appear in 200-or-more consecutive games. The stretch is the second-longest ever by a Devils’ defenseman; he passed Scott Stevens (196 games, November 23, 1993-October 5, 1996) on January 31 vs. Florida. Ken Daneyko (388 games, November 4, 1989-March 29, 1994) holds the record for d’men, while Travis Zajac (401 games, October 26, 2006-April 10, 2011) is first overall.
- AN ALL-STAR AGAIN: Patrik Elias recorded 2a and was +5 for Team Toews in its 17-12 win over Team Foligno at the NHL All-Star Game in Columbus on Sunday. Elias now has 1g-6a-7pts in four career All-Star Games (2000, 2002 & 2011).
- DEVILS RESTRUCTURE COACHING STAFF: On December 27, New Jersey restructured its coaching staff by adding Scott Stevens and Adam Oates. They join Tommy Albelin, Mike Foligno and Chris Terreri on the team’s staff. Peter DeBoer and Dave Barr were relieved of their coaching duties.
- QUICK STRIKE: Steve Bernier, Martin Havlat and Mike Cammalleri all scored in a span of 68 seconds in the second period of New Jersey’s 5-3 win at Los Angeles on January 14. It was the third-fastest three goals in Devils history: November 23, 1991, Kevin Todd, Peter Stastny and Douglas Brown, 0:42 of 2nd period, 5-5 tie at Philadelphia; and February 16, 1985, Tim Higgins, Uli Hiemer and Phil Russel, 0:42 of 2nd period, 6-3 win at Toronto. credit Elias Sports Bureau
- THAT’S A FIRST: Keith Kinkaid (26 saves + 3/3 SO) earned the first win of his NHL career on December 19 vs. Tampa Bay. He became the first goaltender to win his first NHL game as a Devil since Scott Clemmensen (January 20, 2004 at Pittsburgh). Kinkaid also became the first goaltender in NHL history to have each of his first three starts go to the shootout.
- ZUBRUS PLAYS IN 1,200TH GAME: Dainius Zubrus appeared in his 1,200th game on December 31, becoming just the 102nd player in NHL history to do so. He made his NHL debut as the youngest player in Flyers’ franchise history (18 years, 3 months & 19 days) on October 5, 1996 vs. Florida and scored a goal that night vs. former Devil John Vanbiesbrouck. Zubrus has played 513 games with the Devils entering tonight, the most among the five NHL teams he’s skated for, followed by Washington (331), Philadelphia (200), Montreal (139) and Buffalo (19).
- 500 CLUB: Andy Greene skated in his 500th game with New Jersey on November 28 vs. Detroit, becoming the eighth defenseman/25th player in team history to reach the milestone. Dainius Zubrus appeared in his 500th game with the Devils on November 21 at Edmonton, becoming the 24th player in franchise history to do so.
- SCHNEIDER ESTABLISHES NEW FRANCHISE RECORD: Cory Schneider started 20 consecutive games from October 9-November 21 at Edmonton, the longest streak to begin a season in Devils’ history (Martin Brodeur, 19, October 6-November 2, 2001). (credit Elias Sports Bureau)
Milestone Watch
- Steve Bernier needs two goals to reach 100 in his NHL career.
- Mark Fraser needs one game played to reach 200 in his NHL career.
- Martin Havlat needs seven points to reach 600 in his NHL career.
- Jon Merrill is expected to appear in his 100th NHL game tonight.
- Tuomo Ruutu needs five assists to reach 200 in his NHL career.
- Cory Schneider needs four games played to reach 200 in his NHL career.
Injuries
- Keith Kinkaid (lower body, two games missed) is day-to-day.
- Damon Severson (I.R., left ankle, 29 games missed) has resumed skating.
- Bryce Salvador (I.R., lower body, 46 games missed) is out.
- Ryane Clowe (I.R., hit to head, 48 games missed) is out for the remainder of the season.
- Total man-games lost to injury/illness: 260.
Recent Transactions
- February 26 – Acquired Florida’s second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and New Jersey’s option of Florida or Minnesota’s (acquired by Florida, February 25, 2015) third-round selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for right wing Jaromir Jagr.
- February 23 – Scott Clemmensen was recalled from Albany (AHL).
- February 17 – Stephen Gionta was activated from Injured Reserve.
- January 28 – Tuomo Ruutu was activated from I.R.
