Blue Jackets vs. Devils: Previewing the Game

The Devils will look to get back on track tonight at the Rock against the Blue Jackets after a heart-breaking loss this past Monday to the Carolina Panthers.

Coming off of a 3-2-0 road trip, New Jersey led that game 3-0 at the first intermission, but Martin Brodeur gave up two goals in the second period and third periods, while the Devils failed to find the back of the net.

The Panthers' 4-3 win marked the first time in franchise history that the team came back from a three-goal deficit to win in regulation.  After going almost a month without a home victory, Carolina improved to 8-11-3 on the season and last in the Southeast division.

Columbus enters the Prudential Center tonight fifth in the division at 5-13-2, but riding a two-game winning streak over the likes of Nashville and Calgary, whose combined records are 9-26-4.

Before their breakdown against Carolina, the Devils were also on a two-game winning streak, with victories over Buffalo and Tampa Bay, in which they netted nine goals.

Home ice should help New Jersey tonight, as they are 4-3-1 at home this season and 10-8-1 overall, while Columbus doesn't travel well, posting a 1-7-1 road record.

Center Patrick Elias leads New Jersey in points (19), goals (8) and assists (11), while Dainius Zubrus, Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk and Adam Henrique are all tied with 11 points.

In his first complete season with New Jersey, Henrique has been impressive, scoring four goals, two of them game winners, and posting a plus/minus of one.

For Columbus, Vaclav Prospal and Rick Nash have carried the Blue Jackets, with Prospal posting 18 points and Nash 15, but Nash's plus/minus is down this season at minus-10. Each team ranks in the lower third of the league in terms of goals scored, but New Jersey does boast the No. 1 penalty kill in the NHL.

If the Sykora-Elias-Zubrus line can get it going, the Devils will have a decent chance to accumulate a four-game winning streak heading into December, with two games against the New York Islanders and one against the Colorado Avalanche remaining in November.