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

By John Schweibacher
» More Columns

The New Jersey Devils split a pair of shootouts, but ended up on the wrong end of two shutouts in going 1-2-1 this past week.

Braden Holtby made 21 saves in Washington's 4-0 win over the Devils Saturday night at Prudential Center. It was the sixth time in club history that New Jersey was shut out by the Capitals on home ice:

- 12/20/14: Was 4 at NJD 0, Braden Holtby 21 saves

- 3/18/11: Was 3 at NJD 0, Michael Neuvirth 33 saves

- 2/29 /08: Was 4 at NJD 0, Cristobal Huet 18 saves

- 1/9/94: Was 4 at NJD 0, Rick Tabaracci 32 saves

- 2/2/84: Was 2 at NJD 0, Pat Riggin 14 saves

- 10/26/83: Was 2 at NJD 0, Al Jensen 18 saves

Nicklas Backstrom scored two goals (and assisted on a third) in the Capitals' 4-0 win at New Jersey. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that Backstrom has now scored three goals in four games against the Devils this season, after recording only three goals in 26 career games against New Jersey entering this season.

Keith Kinkaid made 26 saves in regulation and overtime and was not scored against in the shootout as he earned the first win of his NHL career, 3-2, over the Lightning last Friday night.

Kinkaid, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is the first goaltender to play in a shootout in each of his first three NHL career starts. He also became the first goaltender to win his first NHL game as a Devil since Scott Clemmensen back on January 20, 2004 at Pittsburgh, and just the third since Martin Brodeur back in 1992.

Here is the list of goalies who won their first NHL game for the New Jersey Devils:

- Keith Kinkaid: 12/19/14, TB 2 at NJD 3 (SO)

- Scott Clemmensen: 1/20/04, NJD 3 at Pit 0

- J.F. Damphousse: 1/9/02, Cgy 1 at NJD 5

- Mike Dunham: 11/7/96, Bos 2 at NJD 4

- Martin Brodeur: 3/26/92, Bos 2 at NJD 4

- Chad Erickson: 3/24/92, SJ 3 at NJD 4

- Chris Terreri: 10/5/89, NJD 6 at Phi 2

- Sean Burke: 3/5/88, NJD 7 at Bos 6 (OT)

- Kirk McLean: 4/6/86, NYI 7 at NJD 9

- Sam St. Laurent: 3/27/86, Stl 0 at NJD 1

- Craig Billington: 10/26/85, LA 2 at NJD 5

- Alain Chevrier: 10/10/85, NJD 6 at Phi 5

- Hannu Kamppuri: 1/12/85, Was 3 at NJD 5

The Devils' shootout struggles have been well-documented, and Patrik Elias' results in the skill competition mirror New Jersey's success or failure in the NHL tiebreaker.

Elias scored the only goal in the shootout in the Devils' 3-2 victory over the Lightning on Friday in Newark. It was only the fourth win in 29 shootouts for New Jersey over the last three seasons.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Elias' shootout goal was the 23rd of his NHL career (in 67 tries), and it ended his streak of 13 consecutive failed attempts. The Devils have won 20 of the 23 shootouts in which Elias has scored, including each of the last 13 dating back to November of 2008.

Here are the only three shootouts the Devils have lost despite Elias scoring. Each of them have come on home ice and have taken more than three rounds to decide:

- 10/29/08: Toronto 6 at NJD 5 (Elias beat Vesa Toskala to put the Devils ahead after two rounds, but Tomas Kaberle scored in the thurd to keep the Maple Leafs in it and Toronto prevailed in the fourth.)

- 2/15/08: Atlanta 4 at NJD 3 (Elias scored against Johan Hedberg in the second round, but Ilya Kovalchuk beat Martin Brodeur to keep the Thrashers alive in the third, and Atlanta eventually won in 10.)

- 1/2/07: NY Rangers 3 at NJD 2 (Elias kept the Devils' hopes alive, tying the shootout with a third-round goal against Henrik Lundqvist, but the Rangers won anyway on Marcel Hossa's goal in round 8.)

New Jersey is now 5-2 all time against Tampa Bay in shootouts, and the five wins are tied for their second-most against any opponent:

- vs. Philadelphia: 7-1

- vs. Washington: 6-0

- vs. NY Rangers: 5-5

- vs. Tampa Bay: 5-2

The Devils lost to the Ottawa Senators, 2-0, last Wednesday night at Prudential Center. Craig Anderson made 34 saves in the win, the eighth regular-season shutout for Ottawa against New Jersey.

- 12/17/14: Ott 2 at NJD 0, Craig Anderson (34 saves)

- 4/12/13: Ott 2 at NJD 0, Craig Anderson (33 saves)

- 1/26/10: NJD 0 at Ott 3, Brian Elliott (24 saves)

- 3/19/06: Ott 4 at NJD 0, Ray Emery (22 saves)

- 1/13/04: Ott 4 at NJD 0, Patrick Lalime (26 saves)

- 12/18/02: Ott 3 at NJD 0, Patrick Lalime (27 saves)

- 12/22/01: Ott 1 at NJD 0, Jani Hurme (22 saves)

- 1/2/99: NJD 0 at Ott 6, Damian Rhodes (30 saves)

Anderson now has an 8-2-1 record in 11 career games against the Devils, including a 5-1-0 mark in six games against them for the Senators. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Anderson's .773 lifetime points percentage vs. New Jersey is the highest among active goaltenders that have played at least 10 games against the Devils.

The Devils lost to the Islanders, 3-2, in the shootout last Monday night in their last ever regular-season visit to the Nassau Coliseum. New Jersey is now 2-7 all time in shootouts against the Isles, and the seven losses equal the most vs. any opponent (Buffalo: 4-7 and Toronto: 1-7).

The Devils have won just one shootout on the road against the Islanders, a 3-2 victory back on March 6, 2011. Brian Rolston scored against Al Montoya in the sixth round to give New Jersey the win.

Schwei's Plus/Minus

Plus: Backup Plan -- Kinkaid and Clemmensen have made a combined four starts for New Jersey, and the Devils have gotten points in all four games (1-0-3).

Minus: Shut Out -- New Jersey was shut out for the fifth time this season in the loss to Washington, and the second time in the last three games. The Devils were shut out 10 times last season, tied with Buffalo and Edmonton for the most in the NHL.

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