Oilers at Devils
The New Jersey Devils will retire the jersey of one of the greatest goaltenders ever to play the game prior to hosting the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Martin Brodeur, who led the Devils to three Stanley Cup championships and is the winningest netminder in league history with 691 victories, will have his No. 30 raised to the roof by the club.
Brodeur received another huge tribute on Monday, when New Jersey unveiled an 11-foot bronze statue of him outside the Prudential Center. About 4,000 fans were on hand for the ceremony for the statue, which is a likeness of Brodeur giving his trademark salute to the team's fans. "I just felt that after looking at the pictures of my career and some of the events that meant a lot to me, I always saluted the fans, even at different times in my career and while in different jerseys," Brodeur said. "It just felt right because that's the pose people recognize the most when thinking of me." The Devils could use an emotional boost as they attempt to halt a three-game skid that includes two overtime defeats and a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA (Edmonton), MSG (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE OILERS (21-28-5): After opening its four-game road trip with an impressing 7-2 thrashing of Ottawa, Edmonton has been mauled by a combined 13-2 in losses to Montreal and the New York Islanders. “We got our butts handed to us in Montreal and we came in here and responded in a very inappropriate way, and that’s very disappointing," coach Todd McLellan said after Sunday's 8-1 drubbing by the Islanders. Rookie Connor McDavid - the top overall pick in the 2015 draft - scored the lone goal, giving him two tallies and six points in four games since returning from a three-month absence.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (26-21-7): Even though New Jersey won five of six before the current three-game dry spell, it has been outshot in nine consecutive games - including a 37-28 advantage for the Rangers that had Cory Schneider and Kyle Palmieri questioning if the team was ready to play. The Devils have scored a total of eight goals - half coming on the power play - during the last five games, but they did not have one chance with the man advantage on Monday. "When you don't get a power play, I think it's indicative of how hard your team played tonight,” coach John Hynes said.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers leading scorer Taylor Hall has recorded three goals and seven points in six games versus New Jersey.
2. The Devils have killed off all 16 short-handed situations in their last four games.
3. Oilers C Leon Draisaitl notched a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over visiting New Jersey on Nov. 20.