David Clarkson Needs to Continue to Score Goals for the New Jersey Devils

Following the New Jersey Devils' 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday, Devils forward David Clarkson called his game-winning goal "lucky".

"I always say it's luck, but I'll take it," Clarkson told Rich Chere of The Star Ledger. "Especially in a game like that."

Clarkson has never been a goal scorer during his career, averaging just 12 goals per season over the last four years. However, in 2011-2012, Clarkson has been able to net 26 goals and is one behind captain Zach Parise for the team lead.

If the Devils want to continue their success heading into the playoffs, Clarkson must start considering himself as a crucial part of the team's offense. New Jersey is 16-5-3 when he scores at least one goal, and he leads the team with six game-winning goals this season.

In order to do so, he will need to stay out of the penalty box. Last week against the Rangers, Clarkson totaled 19 penalty minutes and was invisible for the second and third period in a 1-0 loss. He has totaled a team high 116 penalty minutes, ranking 11th in the NHL.

With the exception of Scott Hartnell, no top-10 scorer in the NHL has more then 100 penalty minutes this season, making Clarkson one of the odd exceptions in the stat column. He is one of three players to have over 100 penalty minutes and still score 20 goals.

Head coach Pete DeBoer has stressed the need for a solid third and fourth line, but the Devils have failed to find success beyond the Kovalchuk and Elias units. Clarkson, who has rotated between the second and third line, could be the answer that DeBoer has been looking for and help the Devils match-up against deeper teams like the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.

The Devils have two quality enforcers on their team in Cam Janssen and Eric Boulton, and while Clarkson has made an impact standing up for the team's top players, he must remember that New Jersey needs him to stay on the ice. Penalties will keep him from being the goal scorer he has become, and it will haunt the Devils as they head back to the postseason.