Schwei's Devils Notes: A Shutout Win, Prowess In The Shootout, And More

By John Schweibacher
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After ending December with a blowout loss, the New Jersey Devils began 2017 on a brighter note.

The Devils started off the new calendar with a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Monday night in Newark. Cory Schneider stopped 22 shots on his way to his second shutout of the season.

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The last time New Jersey shut out Boston was back on Feb. 13, 2009, when Scott Clemmensen made 31 saves in a 1-0 win at Prudential Center.

P.A. Parenteau scored the game-winner on Monday, his 11th goal of the season, at 4:12 of the first period. It was the seventh time this season that Parenteau scored the first goal of a game. New Jersey is now 4-1-2 in those games.

The Capitals beat the Devils, 6-2, on Saturday afternoon at Prudential Center. The six goals against were a season high for New Jersey. The last time the Devils allowed at least six goals in a game against the Capitals was back on Dec. 9, 1992, in a 6-2 loss at the Meadowlands. Chris Terreri (two goals allowed) and Craig Billington (four) were the goalies that day for New Jersey.

New Jersey went 0-for-9 on the power play during Saturday's loss. The worst power o-fer in team history happened on Dec. 20, 2005, when the Devils went 0-for-11 against the Rangers' in a 3-1 win at Madison Square Garden.

The Devils beat the Capitals, 2-1, in a shootout on Thursday night in the road portion of the home-and-home set.

Keith Kinkaid stopped 43 shots in the victory. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was only the fourth time a Devils goaltender won a regular-season game by making at least 43 saves and giving up no more than one goal. Alain Chevrier notched two such wins for New Jersey, making 44 saves in a 5-1 victory at St. Louis on Nov. 26 1986, and 46 stops in a 3-1 triumph at Chicago on Jan. 14, 1987. Martin Brodeur had 51 saves in a 1-0 shootout win against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 12, 2010.

Jacob Josefson scored the game-winning goal in the shootout for the Devils last Thursday and is now 2-for-3 on the season and 11-for-21 (52.4 percent) in his career, third-best all-time among players who have taken at least 10 shootout attempts for New Jersey:

-- Viktor Kozlov: 8-for-12 (66.7 percent)

-- Ilya Kovalchuk: 15-for-26 (57.7)

-- Josefson: 11-for-21 (52.4)

-- Zach Parise: 29-for-63 (46)

-- Jamie Langenbrunner: 13-for-29 (44.8)

Josefson currently ranks fifth all-time in shootout shooting percentage among all NHL players with at least 20 attempts, dating to 2005-06:

-- Slava Kovlov (Atl): 27-for-46 (58.7 percent)

-- Jacob Silfverberg (Ott, Ana): 18-for-32 (56.3)

-- T.J. Oshie (StL., Was) 38-for-69 (55.1)

-- Erik Christensen (Pitt, Atl, Ana, NYR, Min) 29-for-55 (52.7)

-- Josefson (NJD) 11-for-21 (52.4)

Plus/Minus:

Plus: Solid at "The Rock": New Jersey is now 10-4-2 at home, outscoring its opponents 46-44.

Minus: Four Score. The Devils have given up four or more goals in 14 of their last 22 games.