Schwei's Devils Notes: Stempniak At Center Of Current Power Surge

By John Schweibacher
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With one game remaining before they reach the NHL's all-star break, the New Jersey Devils are in the midst of their longest winning streak of the season.

New Jersey beat Winnipeg, 3-1, Saturday night for their fourth consecutive win. It was also just the Devils' fifth win ever in Manitoba (5-16-3) against the old and new Jets franchises.

Lee Stempniak recorded his first two-goal game for New Jersey. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that Stempniak has now scored two or more goals in a game 17 times in his NHL career, with at least one multiple-goal game for seven different teams: the Blues (5), Maple Leafs (1), Coyotes (7), Flames (1), Rangers (1), Jets (1) and Devils (1). The only other active player with multi-goal games for seven different NHL clubs is Jaromir Jagr (Penguins, Capitals, Rangers, Flyers, Stars, Devils and Panthers).

Stempniak and Kyle Palmieri now have 14 and 20 goals, respectively. Both players were acquired this past offseason by general manager Ray Shero. The following are the highest goal totals for a pair of Devils who came to New Jersey during the same offseason:

2015-16

· Kyle Palmieri 20; Lee Stempniak 14

2014-15

· Mike Cammalleri 27; Jordin Tootoo 10

2013-14

· Jaromir Jagr 24; Michael Ryder 18

1991-92

· Stephane Richer 29; Tom Chorske 19

1985-86

· Mark Johnson 21; Peter McNab 19

1984-85

· Doug Sulliman 19; Dave Pichette 17

The Devils beat the Senators, 6-3, last Thursday night at Prudential Center thanks to a five-goal first period. According to the Elias, New Jersey tied a franchise record for most first-period goals in one game, something they have now done four times:

· 1/21/16: Devils 6, Ottawa 3 (Blandisi, Palmieri 2, Zajac, Stempniak)

· 3/11/97 Devils 6, Edmonton 1 (Stevens, Guerin, Holik 2, Carpenter)

· 12/1/93 Devils 8, Toronto 3 (Todd, Stastny, Richer 2, Holik) ·

· 12/17/85 Devils 7, Philadelphia 4 (Broten, Adams 2, Bridgman, Gagne)

Travis Zajac had a big first period, recording one goal and three assists. According to Elias, Zajac, who entered play with only four points in his previous 16 games, became the second player in Devils franchise history to register four points in the first period of a game. The first was Patrik Elias, who had one goal and three assists against Dallas on Dec. 20, 2000.

Joseph Blandisi scored the first goal of his NHL career during the win over Ottawa. Blandisi is the seventh rookie in Devils' history to record three points in a single period and the first since Brendan Morrison back on Dec. 28, 1998, in a 7-4 victory at Buffalo.

The Devils defeated the Calgary Flames, 4-2, last Tuesday night in Newark. Stempniak and Reid Boucher scored goals 17 seconds apart. That was the shortest elapsed time between goals by the Devils since Andy Greene and Elias scored 14 seconds apart in a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay on Feb. 7, 2013.

New Jersey's club record for the fastest two goals is 8 seconds by John Madden and Elias back on April 6, 2001, when they scored in the first period of a 5-2 win over Boston.

Plus/Minus

Plus: Stempniak. The Devils' right wing was named the NHL's second star for the week ending Jan. 24 after tying for the league lead with four goals, plus an assist, in three games.

Minus: Jiri Tlusty. His injury-plagued season is likely over after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. The veteran left wing has just two goals and two assists in 30 games this season.