Devils at Lightning
The New Jersey Devils began the post-Martin Brodeur era with an offensive onslaught, matching the team record for the season’s first two games with 11 goals. The Devils boast two road victories to start a campaign for the first time in club history and look to extend that when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. New Jersey must put together a staunch defensive effort against the Lightning, who beat Montreal 7-1 on Monday and have six power-play goals in three games.
“We’re playing with confidence and we’re playing with skill and speed,” New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider told the Newark Star-Ledger. “We’re getting good bounces but I think it’s because we’re doing the right things and playing the right away.” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos scored his first three goals of the season Monday and defenseman Victor Hedman had a career-high four points, giving him an NHL-leading seven. The Lightning are 2-0-1 on their season-opening homestand.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus (New Jersey), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (2-0-0): Free-agent addition Mike Cammalleri has led the way with three goals and 10 shots while Michael Ryder has collected four points through the first two contests. The Devils have received nine points combined from five defensemen - two and a plus-4 rating from rookie Damon Severson, who is playing ahead of former fourth-overall draft pick Adam Larsson. Three of the five goals given up by Schneider have been on the power play as he begins his first NHL season as the clear-cut No. 1 goalie, replacing Brodeur.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (2-0-1): Ryan Callahan, who was acquired at the trade deadline last season and signed a six-year, $34.8 million contract, is off to a solid start with two goals and an assist in three games. Callahan played with Stamkos and Ondrej Palat, who combined for five goals Monday, while the young trio of Nikita Kucherov, Vladislav Namestnikov and J.T. Brown had four points. Ben Bishop surrendered five goals on 72 shots in the first three games and could give way to veteran Evgeni Nabokov in the second of a back-to-back.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey C Adam Henrique has four goals – three short-handed – and five assists in 10 career games against Tampa Bay.
2. Lightning C Valtteri Filppula has recorded four assists to match Hedman for the team lead.
3. The Devils beat the Lightning twice at home – yielding one goal combined – before losing 3-0 at Tampa Bay in the finale of the season series in March.