Schwei's Devils Notebook: Little-Known Facts, Odd Stats And Strange Records

By John Schweibacher
» More Columns

After winning their first three games of the 2013-14 season, the New Jersey Devils have dropped two in a row, including their home opener against the San Jose Sharks this past Saturday night.

With the loss, New Jersey fell to 17-9-6 all time in home-opening games, including a 2-4-2 mark at Prudential Center.

Cory Schneider became the first Devils goaltender other than Martin Brodeur to start a home-opener since October 6, 1993 vs. Tampa Bay. Chris Terreri got the win, 2-1, making 17 saves.

Here are the all-time records for Devils goaltenders in home openers:

• Martin Brodeur: 10-6-3

• Chico Resch: 2-1-1

• Chris Terreri: 3-0-0

• Sean Burke: 0-1-2

• Alain Chevrier: 2-0-0

• Cory Schneider: 0-1-0

Mike Cammalleri scored New Jersey's first goal in the loss to San Jose and now has five goals and two assists (seven points) in his first five games with the team, tying Bobby Holik (5-2-7) -- from October 6-October 14 of 1992 -- for the second-longest scoring streak to begin a Devils career.

Only Neal Broten -- with seven games from March 2-March 14 of 1995 (3-6-9) -- began his Devils career with a point-scoring streak of more than five games.

Here are the debut scoring streaks for Bobby Holik and Broten:

Bobby Holik                            G-A-Pts

• 10/6/92 vs. NYI                   1-0-1

• 10/9/92 at PHI                    0-1-1

• 10/10/92 vs. NYR               3-0-3

• 10/12/92 vs. Was                 0-1-1

• 10/14/92 at NYR                 1-0-1

Neal Broten                       G-A-Pts

• 3/2/95 at Bos                         0-1-1

• 3/4/95 vs. Fla                         1-1-2

• 3/6/95 at Que                         1-0-1

• 3/8/95 at NYR                       0-1-1

• 3/10/95 at TB                         0-1-1

• 3/12/95 at Phi                        1-1-2

• 3/14/95 vs. Ott                      0-1-1

Damon Severson scored both of New Jersey's goals in the 6-2 loss at Washington last Thursday night.

At 20 years and 70 days, Severson became the youngest Devil with a multi-goal game since Scott Gomez scored three on December 26, 1999 against the New York Rangers (three days after his 20th birthday).

Severson is the sixth-youngest Devils player (and the youngest defenseman) ever to record his first two-goal game:

Player                     Age (years/days)                           Game                                  Goals

• Kirk Muller                  19-249                                     10/16/84 at NYI                       2 goals

• Brendan Shanahan    19-011                                      2/3/88 at Edm                         2 goals

• Petr Sykora                  19-012                                      12/1/95 vs. TB                           2 goals

• Pat Verbeek                 19-233                                      1/15/94 vs. Edm                       2 goals

• Scott Gomez                20-003                                     12/26/99 at NYR                     3 goals

• Damon Severson       20-070                                    10/16/14 at Was                        2 goals

• Scott Niedermayer   20-146                                     1/24/1994 at Dal                       2 goals

Patrik Elias has a goal and two assists over the Devils' first five games and now has career totals of 394 goals, 592 assists and 986 points in 1,160 games for New Jersey. Elias is looking to become just the 91st player in league history to reach the 400-goal mark, the 79th to collect 600 assists and the 80th to compile 1,000 points.

Only eight players in NHL history have reached the 400-goal, 600-assist and 1,000-point plateaus while playing for just one team their entire careers:

Player                          Team                  Goals                          Assists                       Points

• Steve Yzerman                  Det                                 692                                       1063                                      1755

• Mario Lemieux                 Pit                                    690                                        1033                                      1723

• Stan Mikita                        Chi                                     541                                         926                                         1467

• Gil Perreault                     Buf                                     512                                         814                                         1326

• Alex Delvecchio               Det                                     456                                       825                                          1281

• Jean Beliveau                    Mtl                                     507                                       712                                           1219

• Dave Taylor                      LA                                        431                                        638                                          1069

• Rod Gilbert                      NYR                                     406                                       615                                            1021

• Patrik Elias                      NJD                                      394                                       592                                            986

Schneider has been the winning goaltender in each of New Jersey's first three victories this season. Other than Brodeur, only six other Devils goalies in club history before Schneider registered the club's first three wins in a season:

• 2014-15: Cory Schneider, 3

• 2011-12: Johan Hedberg, 5

• 1991-92: Chris Terreri, 7

• 1988-89: Sean Burke, 3

• 1987-8: Alain Chevrier, 7

• 1986-87: Alain Chevrier, 15

• 1982-83: Chico Resch, 13

Schwei's Plus/Minus:

Plus: Penalty Shots -- Schneider stopped a penalty-shot attempt by Tommy Wingels of San Jose in the third period Saturday and has now saved seven of the eight he has faced in his career.

Minus: Penalty Killing -- New Jersey has allowed six power-play goals in five games so far this season. The Devils did not allow their sixth power-play goal against until their 12th game last year.

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