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Schwei's Devils Notes: NJ Letting Games Slip Away Late

By John Schweibacher
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The New Jersey Devils have just one win in their last six games, but they have managed to get points in each of their last three contests, all of which were decided in overtime or shootouts.

The Devils lost to the Penguins, 4-3, in the shootout Saturday night in Pittsburgh. New Jersey had a late 3-2 lead and the Pittsburgh net was empty for an extra attacker, but Sidney Crosby scored with 14 seconds remaining in the third period to tie the game.

The Devils have now lost four times this season in games they led with less than four minutes remaining in regulation:
• 11/26/16: Devils 3 at Penguins 4 (SO), Crosby GT (19:46)
• 11/17/16: Devils 2 at Anaheim 3, Kesler GW (16:20)
• 10/28/16: Chicago 3 at Devils 2 (OT), Hossa GT (17:49)
• 10/20/16: Devils 1 at Boston 2, Bergeron GW (18:45)

The last time the Devils allowed a game-tying goal in the final minute and failed to win was on Nov. 22, 2014, when Curtis Glencross of the Flames scored with five seconds left to beat New Jersey 5-4 in Calgary.

Saturday's shootout was just the third ever between the Devils and Penguins, and all three have been in games played in Pittsburgh. New Jersey won 4-3 in the first tiebreaker between the two clubs on March 8, 2007, and the Penguins took the other, 1-0, on March 25, 2011.

MORE: Lichtenstein: Hall Aboard? Devils' Star Eyes Early Return From Injury

On Friday, the Devils' record at the Prudential Center fell to 7-0-2 with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Red Wings. Despite the defeat, New Jersey is still undefeated in regulation through nine home games, which ties a franchise record dating back to 1987-88, when the Devils began 8-0-1.

Mike Green scored the game-winner for the Red Wings, the ninth regular-season overtime goal of his NHL career and first with Detroit. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that Green is the NHL's active leader in regular-season overtime goals among defensemen and ranks second all-time in that category behind Scott Niedermayer who had 13, eight while with the Devils.

The last time the Devils lost in overtime at home against the Red Wings was on Nov. 20, 1993, a 4-3 loss at the Meadowlands with Slava Kozlov scoring the game-winner.

On Wednesday night, New Jersey erased a 3-0 Toronto lead after the first period and rallied for a 5-4 shootout win over the Maple Leafs at the Prudential Center.

The last time the Devils won a game that they trailed by at least three goals was on Dec. 8, 2011, against Ottawa in Newark. New Jersey also trailed that game 3-0 in the second period and eventually won 5-4 in the shootout.

Michael Cammalleri, who had missed New Jersey's previous six games because of his daughter's illness, scored one goal and assisted on three for the Devils in the win Wednesday.

According to Elias, it was the first time that a Devils player had at least four points in a game while scoring or assisting on every New Jersey goal since Feb. 14th, 2012, when Ilya Kovalchuk produced three goals and one assist in a 4-1 Devils win at Buffalo.

The shootout victory improved New Jersey's record in tiebreakers against Toronto to 3-9. The Devils' last shootout win over the Leafs was on Jan. 28, 2015 -- a 2-1 victory at "The Rock" with Jacob Josefson and Patrik Elias scoring shootout goals.

New Jersey's only other shootout win over Toronto came on Oct. 12, 2006 -- a 7-6 victory, with Brian Gionta and John Madden scoring in the shootout in the Devils' last home opener at the Meadowlands.

Plus/Minus:
Plus: Powering Up. Beau Bennett ended New Jersey's 0-for-29 power-play drought in the win vs. the Maple Leafs. The Devils are now 3-for-10 with the man advantage over the last three contests.

Minus: Shooting Gallery. The Devils allowed a season-high 49 shots against in the loss to the Penguins. New Jersey has been outshot by its opponents in each the last five games.

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