Devils at Flames
The Calgary Flames attempt to extend their season-opening point streak when they host the struggling New Jersey Devils on Friday. Calgary has earned at least one point in each of its first four games, winning a pair of one-goal decisions while losing once in both overtime and a shootout. The Flames posted a 3-2 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, storming out to a three-goal lead before hanging on for two points.
New Jersey has had a completely different beginning to the 2013-14 campaign, going winless in four tries. The Devils have been able to notch three points, however, as they have fallen twice in a shootout and once in overtime after opening the season with a 3-0 setback at Pittsburgh. New Jersey fell to 0-0-2 on its five-game road trip, dropping a 3-2 overtime decision in Vancouver on Tuesday as Cory Schneider was unable to defeat his former team.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, MSG Plus 2 (New Jersey), RSN West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (0-1-3): New Jersey has scored a total of nine goals in its first four games, with only four different players - three newcomers - finding the net. Damien Brunner leads the club with three tallies, while Patrik Elias, Jaromir Jagr and Michael Ryder have two apiece. The Devils have not opened a season with a five-game winless streak since 1981-82, when the club started 0-4-1 as the Colorado Rockies.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (2-0-2): Calgary's offense has been spread around over its first four games, with 10 different players combining for 15 goals. Rookie Sean Monahan tops the club with three tallies and is tied with Jiri Hudler for the team lead in points with five. The Flames placed right wing David Jones on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and recalled center Blair Jones from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey has squandered leads in each of its last three games.
2. Blair Jones appeared in 15 games with the Flames last season, recording one assist and 10 penalty minutes.
3. Jagr has 683 career goals, seven behind former Pittsburgh teammate Mario Lemieux for ninth place on the all-time list.