Flames at Devils
The New Jersey Devils can keep their playoff hopes alive by continuing their point streak when they host the Calgary Flames on Monday. New Jersey has points in its last seven games (4-0-3) and trails the Columbus Blue Jackets by three for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Flames are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but are riding a two-game winning streak as they conclude a five-game road trip.
Calgary has fared well against the Metropolitan Division - the only division against which it has a winning record (8-4-3). The Devils have struggled against the Western Conference, winning only three of 13 contests against Pacific Division opponents (3-5-5). New Jersey lost 3-2 at Calgary on Oct. 11 and has not defeated the Flames in regulation since 2009, but Devils goaltender Cory Schneider has a .936 save percentage in six career starts against Calgary.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RDS2, Sportsnet West (Calgary), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (33-38-7): Mikael Backlund missed Friday’s game with a hand injury and is considered day-to-day. Michael Cammalleri reached 500 career points on Friday and has been one of Calgary’s top offensive producers with 13 goals and 22 points since the beginning of March. Goaltender Karri Ramo is expected to start Monday after getting a rest on Friday.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (34-28-16): Patrik Elias, Adam Henrique and Jacob Josefson all suffered injuries on Friday and were unable to play Saturday, but Dainius Zubrus recorded his first multi-goal game since December to compensate for the lost offense. Jaromir Jagr has not recorded a point in three games. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov played 17:27 on Saturday in his second game back from a lower-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. The Devils missed the playoffs last season after advancing to the Stanley Cup final in 2012.
2. Calgary has won three in a row once this season as part of a five-game winning streak at the end of January.
3. New Jersey is the only remaining Eastern Conference team in playoff contention with fewer than 200 goals.