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Schwei's Devils Notes: Kinkaid Shines, Danis Returns And More

By John Schweibacher
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After winning just twice in their previous 10 games, the New Jersey Devils came away with two wins in their three-game California road trip.

New Jersey put together victories against the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings before being blown out by the Anaheim Ducks, 7-1, on Monday night.

Despite the loss to Anaheim, the Devils are now 25-17-3 overall on the road against the three California teams in the regular season since the Ducks joined the NHL in 1993-94, giving the league a trio of teams in the Golden State:

NJD at Anaheim, 7-8-1
NJD at San Jose, 8-5-1
NJD at Los Angeles, 10-4-1

Keith Kinkaid earned the NHL's third star of the week for the period ending March 13 after stopping 52 of the 53 shots he faced in the wins in San Jose and Los Angeles, but was pulled after giving up six goals in the loss in Anaheim.

Yann Danis allowed one goal in mop-up duty Monday as he played in his first NHL game since March 10, 2013, and his first game with the Devils since March 28, 2010, at Philadelphia. Danis became the 26th player to be re-acquired and see action with New Jersey, but just the fourth goalie to do so, joining Chris Terreri, Corey Schwab and Scott Clemmensen, who had three such stints.

The Devils beat the Kings, 2-1, in overtime Saturday night in Los Angeles. The win improved New Jersey's record in games decided in overtime to 9-1, matching its club record for most sudden-death wins in a regular season:

2015-16, 9 (3-on-3 OT format)
2013-14, 9 (4-on-4 OT format)
2008-09, 9 (4-on-4 OT format)
2002-03, 8 (4-on-4 OT format)
2009-10, 8 (4-on-4 OT format)
2010-11, 7 (4-on-4 OT format)
2007-08, 7 (4-on-4 OT format)
2003-04, 7 (4-on-4 OT format)
1995-96, 7 (5-on-5 OT format)

Saturday night's contest was just the fourth regular season game and sixth overall between New Jersey and Los Angeles to be decided in overtime and the fifth to end with a 2-1 score:

3/13/16 NJD 2 at LA 1 (John Moore)
11/21/13 NJD 2 at LA 1 (Jaromir Jagr)
6/2/12 LA 2 at NJD 1 (Jeff Carter)*
5/30/12 LA 2 at NJD 1 (Anze Kopitar)*
2/15/04 LA 2 at NJD 3 (Paul Martin)
1/25/03 NJD 1 at LA 2 (Ziggy Palffy)
(*2012 Stanley Cup Final)

The Devils began their California road trip with a 3-0 win over the Sharks last Thursday night in San Jose. Kinkaid made 30 saves in the win. It was the second career shutout for Kinkaid, who by blanking the Sharks accomplished something Martin Brodeur never did. Devils goaltending coach Chris Terreri had the only other two shutouts for New Jersey against the Sharks: 9-0 at the Meadowlands on Oct. 26, 1991, and 5-0 in New Jersey on March 29, 1993.

Dainius Zubrus, who spent the last eight seasons with New Jersey, made his first appearance for the Sharks against the Devils on Thursday. The last time Zubrus played in a game against New Jersey was back on March 28, 2007, for Buffalo.

Here are the players who went the longest between appearances against the Devils around their stint with New Jersey:

Randy McKay -- 11 years, 19 months, 19 days
Bobby Holik -- 10 years, 10 months, 9 days
Jamie Langenbrunner -- 8 years, 11 months, 13 days
Dainius Zubrus -- 8 years, 11 months, 12 days
Pat Conacher -- 8 years, 9 months, 10 days
Tommy Albelin -- 8 years, 1 month, 28 days

Plus/Minus:

Plus: Moore, Moore, Moore. John Moore became just the second defenseman in franchise history to score three OT goals in a season, joining Scott Niedermayer, who had four in 2001-02.

Minus: No O from D. Moore's overtime winner vs. L.A. was just the second Devils goal from a defenseman over their previous 17 games. Adam Larsson scored the other, an empty-net goal against the Rangers on Feb. 8.

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