Devils Maintain Hot Streak

To say this run is impressive is a tremendous understatement to what the New Jersey Devils on the verge of accomplishing.

Should they win their matchup tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators it will mark the first time since the start of the season that the Devils were a .500 team.

On January 8th, the Devils had lost the 31st game to the Philadelphia Flyers to put themselves 21 games below .500.

After yesterday's thrilling victory against the Islanders, the Devils have made up an astounding 20 games and turned one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, into one of the most improbable, and straight up amazing runs in NHL history.

Brian Rolston opened up the scoring with a power play goal in the second period. His 12th of the year was set up from Ilya Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac.

Josh Bailey equalized the two teams with a power play marker of his own. The goal came after the puck pin-balled around the crease and Brodeur was out of position as he prepared for the follow-up from PA Parenteau. Parenteau flubbed the shot but it found Bailey's stick for the goal.

Kovalchuk would continue his second half resurgence with a goal on a 2 on 1 set up by a drop pass from Jacob Josefson. Kovalchuk ripped the shot glove side past Al Montoya for his 24th of the year. With his assist, Josefson registered his first career point. Anton Volchenkov was also given an assist on the goal for his 7th.

He resurgent Islanders refused to quit, however and with over 3 minutes to play Blake Comeau scored his 18th the year.

With the Islanders forcing overtime, both teams earned a point, but the Devils again needed the winner's point to help close the gap, albeit temporarily, between them and Carolina.

It would take a shootout to determine a winner after an uneventful overtime session. Frans Nielsen opened the shootout with a goal, beating Brodeur glove side. Three shooters later, Kovalchuk would save the Devils again with the equalizer.

Eight tries later, Jacques Lemaire made a curious decision by electing to send Rolston out to try and win it. Rolston came in deked Montoya to a sprawling save attempt, Rolston countered by lifting the puck over Montoya’s pads for the winner.

After play on Sunday, the Devils pulled to within 8 points of the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The team they’re chasing now, however, has changed to the Buffalo Sabres who reached the top 8 for the first time since October 9th [the 2nd game of the season].

The Hurricanes and Rangers are both off until Wednesday, but both Buffalo and the Devils.

The Devils will host Ottawa on Tuesday for not only a chance at reaching .500 but also to pull within 5 of the idle Hurricanes and 8 of the Rangers. Pending the outcome of Buffalo’s game in Pittsburgh, the Devils could be as close as 6 points of 8th by the end of play Tuesday night or simply keep pace with the Sabres should both teams win.