Devils Playing On Saturday Afternoon

[ARENA2005]

Please, somebody out there give me a stat on how good or bad the Devs have played in Saturday afternoon games. My guess is a 40% win percentage if that, and 50% loss with a 10% tie.

[devspage]

I don't have the numbers, but I remember them suffering earlier in the season and doing better later in mat. games.

[Derek21]

Courtesy of nhlmedia.com. These are Game Notes. KD, please take a look at the Elias one.

Today's Game

For the Devils, today's game is the 3rd of a season-high 4-game homestand. The club is 1-1-0 on the current stand, including a 5-1 decision 10/26 vs. Tampa Bay and a 2-1 loss 10/29 vs. Carolina. Overall, New Jersey is 3-1-0 in its last 4 games.

The Devils are 6-2-0 overall, and despite having played the fewest number of games (also Ott. & StL.), its 6 victories are tied for 4th most in the NHL. Meanwhile, the club's .750 winning pctg. is 2nd to Philadelphia among Eastern Conference teams. With a victory tonight, the team will post its best start since '93-94 (8-1-0). New Jersey is 2 games ahead of last season's pace when they did not record their 6th win until game 10.

Tuesday's loss gave the Devils a 5-1 mark in 1-goal decisions & the club's 6 1-goal games overall are 2nd most (Wsh.) in the league. In fact, 5 of the team's 6 victories have been by 1g. The 5-1 win 10/26 vs. Tampa Bay was the team's largest margin of victory this season. New Jersey went 19-15 in 1g games in 2001-02.

The Devils are a league-leading 5-0-0 when they score the 1st goal (also TB). The club is 3-0-0 when leading after 1 period, & 5-0-0 when leading after 2 per. New Jersey is 1 of just 4 teams (Chi., Ott. & TB) to win every game in which they have led after the 1st & 2nd periods.

Defensively, the Devils are ranked 1st in the NHL with a 1.62 GAA. The club has allowed just 1g in 3 of its last 4 contests. New Jersey's opponents have averaged just 22.4 shots/game -- the 2nd fewest in the league.

Here at the Meadowlands, the Devils are playing their 800th contest after posting a 22-15-4=50pt (.585) mark in '01-02. The club finished above the .500 mark at home for the 13th straight season, and the 15th time in 16 seasons. Overall, New Jersey is 417-294-88=925pts (.577) on home ice in its history.

For the Devils, a win 10/25 at Buffalo and a victory 10/26 vs. Tampa Bay marked their 2nd of 19 sets of back-to-back games this season. The club is now 2-0-0 in first games, and 1-1-0 in second games when playing on consecutive dates in '02-03. New Jersey was 9-8-2 in first games, and 11-6-2 in second games, when playing on consecutive dates last season.

On the road, the Devils posted a 19-17-5 (.524) mark in '01-02. The club finished above .500 away from home for the 6th straight year. All-time, New Jersey is 294-396-109 (.436) in 799 road outings.

Tonight's game is the 9th in a stretch of 10 straight that the Devils will be playing vs. non-divisional opponents. The club will not face any Atlantic Division opposition until 11/7 @ Philadelphia. New Jersey went 31-24-7=72pts (.556) vs. teams outside of the Atlantic last season.

For the Devils, tonight's game is also the 1st of 13 games to be played in November. The club went 6-2-0 in October, and will play 14 games in December, 15 in January, 13 in February, 15 in March, & 4 in April. New Jersey will conclude its current homestand Tuesday night vs. Calgary (7:35 PM, FSNY, WABC 770 AM).

Lifetime Series

Today's game between the Devils and Blackhawks marks the only meeting between the two clubs this season and the only game to be played here.

New Jersey won the season's series 2-0-0 in 2001-02, outscoring Chicago 6-2, while holding a 58-50 edge in shots. The Devils lead the all-time series 20-17-10, including a 10-7-6 mark in the previous 23 games played here.

Today, Chicago becomes the first NHL club to close out its 2002-03 series with New Jersey.

New Jersey Devils Injuries/Transactions

For the Devils, left wing Jay Pandolfo (groin injury, suffered Oct. 23 at Atl., three games missed) is probable for today's game. Total man-games lost to injury/illness: 3.

The Devils do not have any moves to report at this time.

ELIAS IN OVERTIME

On October 18, a 3-2 win in the extra session gave the Devils a 53-52-183 (.502) mark since overtime was introduced in 1983-84. The club moved above .500 in OT for the first time. New Jersey was 0-5-5 through its first ten overtime contests, and never moved above the .500 mark until October 18, 2002. Patrik Elias' OT tally that evening was the sixth of his career -- the most in Devils' history.

MOST GAMES PLAYED

ALL WITH ONE TEAM

Only one active NHL player has played more career games all with one team than Ken Daneyko (S. Yzerman, Det.). With 1,214 games played with New Jersey entering 2002-03, he begins the season ranked fifth overall among NHL players who have spent their entire careers with one team.

1. Alex Delvecchio, Det. 1549 GP

2. Stan Mikita, Chi. 1394

3. Steve Yzerman, Det* 1362

4. Henri Richard, Mtl. 1259

5. KEN DANEYKO, NJ* 1221

6. Gilbert Perreault, Buf. 1191

7. George Armstrong, Tor. 1187

8. Bob Gainey, Mtl. 1160

9. Bobby Clarke, Phi. 1144

10. Jean Beliveau, Mtl. 1125

Through games of 11/1/02

* - active player

MOST CAREER GAMES PLAYED

Only two active NHL players have played more career games than Devils' Captain Scott Stevens. He started the 2002-03 season ranked eighth overall with 1,516 games played in 20 seasons. Stevens is the only player in NHL history to play 600+ games with two different teams (NJ & Wsh.)

1. Gordie Howe, Det., Hfd. 1767 GP 26 seasons

2. Larry Murphy, LA, Wsh., Min., Pit., Tor., Det. 1615 21

3. Mark Messier*, Edm., NYR, Van., NYR 1614 24

4. Ray Bourque, Bos., Col. 1612 22

5. Ron Francis*, Hfd., Pit., Car. 1579 22

6. Alex Delvecchio, Det. 1549 24

7. John Bucyk, Det., Bos. 1540 23

8. SCOTT STEVENS*, Wsh., StL., NJ 1524 21

9. Wayne Gretzky, Edm., LA, StL., NYR 1487 20

10. Tim Horton, Tor., NYR, Pit., Buf. 1446 24

Through games of 11/1/02

* - active player

WINS LEADERS

1993-94 to present

Since 1993-94, Martin Brodeur's rookie season, no other NHL goaltender has recorded more victories (he was 2-1-0 in 4 games prior to '93-94). The wins leaders over that time span are as follows:

1. MARTIN BRODEUR, NJ 329 wins

2. Patrick Roy, Mtl-Col. 295

3. Curtis Joseph, St.L-Edm.-Tor.-Det. 269

4. Dominik Hasek, Buf.-Det. 264

5. Ed Belfour, Chi.-SJ-Dal.-Tor. 257

6. Chris Osgood, Det.-NYI 256

7. Mike Richter, NYR 230

Through games of 11/1/02

SHUTOUT LEADERS

AMONG ACTIVE NHL GOALTENDERS

Only two current NHL goaltenders have more career shutouts than Martin Brodeur. Among all goaltenders, the legendary Terry Sawchuk holds the record with 103 shutouts in 971 games played (21 seasons).

1. Patrick Roy, Mtl., Col. 61 ShO 18 seasons

2. Ed Belfour, Chi., SJ., Dal. 59 13

3. MARTIN BRODEUR, NJ 55 9

4. Tom Barrasso, Buf., Pit., Ott., Car. 37 7

5. Curtis Joseph, StL., Edm., Tor. 36 13

Through games of 11/1/02

DEVILS-BLACKHAWKS CONNECTIONS

Chicago RW Steve Sullivan was NJ's 10th choice (233rd overall) in the 1994 Entry Draft. He played 49 games with the Devils from '95-96 through '96-97, totaling 31 points on 13 goals and 18 assists. Blackhawks' D Phil Housley finished his 1995-96 season in New Jersey, and after being traded with Dan Keczmer from Calgary to NJ for current D Tommy Albelin, Cale Hulse and Jocelyn Lemieux on February 26, 1996. He played in 22 games scoring one goal and 15 assists for 16 points. D Lyle Odelein, was a member of the New Jersey Devils for four years from the 1996-97 season through 1999-2000. He posted 13 goals and 73 assists for 86 points and 499 penalty minutes in 285 regular season games also adding three goals, six assists and 50 PIM in 23 playoff games with New Jersey. Chicago LW Steve Thomas played three seasons with the Devils from '95-96 through '97-98. He scored 55 goals, and added 64 assists for a total of 119 points in 193 regular season games. In 16 playoff games, Thomas had 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points.

Chicago General Manager Mike Smith served as an assistant coach for the Colorado Rockies in 1978-1979. Assistant General Manager Nick Beverly briefly saw action in a Rockies sweater. He was traded to Colorado from the Los Angeles Kings early on in the 1978-79 season, playing 52 games with two goals and four assists for six points. He appeared in 46 games the next season, finishing with nine assists.

Albany River Rats Assistant Coach and former Devils' G Chris Terreri minded the Blackhawks' net for portions of the '96-97 and '97-98 campaigns. Overall, he played in 28 games with a record of 12-11-4 with a 2.47 GAA.

BROODEUR, NIEUWENDYK, NIEUWENDYK RECEIVE OLYMPIC RINGS

Devils' goaltender Martin Brodeur, defenseman Scott Niedermayer, and center Joe Nieuwendyk each received their Canadian Olympic Team Championship rings last week in a meeting with Canadian Hockey Association President Bob Nicholson.

Not a good way to spell your goalie's name .

YOUTH JERSEY DAY

Today is Devils' Youth Jersey Day. All fans 13 and under in attendance will receive a Devils' youth jersey, compliments of Modell's Sporting Goods.

CHARITIES

Devils' center Scott Gomez participated in photo shoots to help promote the Central Avenue School (Summit, NJ), as well as Sovereign Bank's Goals for Kids program. Members of the Boys & Girls Club of Union County represented Sovereign Bank. The shoots took place on the ice at the Continental Airlines Arena prior to last Saturday night's game vs. Tampa Bay.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Yesterday, Devils/WABC broadcaster and former defenseman Randy Velischek participated in Career Day at Memorial Middle School (Spotswood, NJ).

DRAKE'S BAKERIES DEVIL DOG KIDS

The Devils, along with Drake's Bakeries will honor local youth organizations for their positive contributions in the community through Drake's Devil Dog Kids. Through this program, Drake's will provide tickets and t-shirts to worthy youth groups for selected home games this season. The program provides an opportunity to reward young citizens for something positive that they have contributed to the community. Today, the Devils and Drake's will welcome representatives from the St. Peter's Village, and the Wyckoff YMCA. Eligible groups include boys & girls clubs, P.A.L's, YMCA's, charitable organizations, schools, & volunteer groups.

MODELL'S MITES ON ICE

Once again, the Devils and Modell's Sporting Goods have teamed up to present Mites on Ice. Youngsters between the ages of seven and nine will participate in a mini-game during selected Devils' games. Today, the Devils and Modell's will welcome members of the Denville Mites youth hockey team. The Devils and Modell's are proud to promote youth hockey throughout New Jersey. Modell's is the official sporting goods store of the New Jersey Devils.

BOBBLE HEAD NIGHT

The first of two Devils' Bobble Head Doll Nights is set for Saturday, November 9, as the club hosts the Edmonton Oilers at 7:35 PM. All fans 13 and under in attendance will receive a Martin Brodeur bobble head doll, compliments of JP Morgan Chase.

Where's PK's boy ?

[insanity_gallops]

BROODEUR, NIEUWENDYK, NIEUWENDYK RECEIVE OLYMPIC RINGS

Devils' goaltender Martin Brodeur, defenseman Scott Niedermayer, and center Joe Nieuwendyk each received their Canadian Olympic Team Championship rings last week in a meeting with Canadian Hockey Association President Bob Nicholson.

Not a good way to spell your goalie's name   .

Or to spell "Niedermayer..."

[Derek21]

Or to spell "Niedermayer..."

Hahahaha... I missed that .

[Z-Man]

Courtesy of nhlmedia.com. These are Game Notes. KD, please take a look at the Elias one.

Showing him facts will just upset KD. He'll probably say something intelligent like "shut up" to you.

[ARENA2005]

F'ing WOW! NOUGH SAID!