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Devils-Penguins Preview

Nov 12, 2009 - 4:02 AM By ANDY LEFKOWITZ STATS Editor

New Jersey (11-4-0) at Pittsburgh (12-6-0), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The New Jersey Devils are looking to take a step closer to matching the longest road winning streak to open an NHL season. The Pittsburgh Penguins, meanwhile, are trying to end a scoreless drought that is threatening to become a franchise first.

The Devils seek their ninth straight road win Thursday night when they visit the Penguins, who hope to avoid being blanked in three consecutive games for the first time since joining the league in 1967.

New Jersey's 8-0-0 road record is the second-best to start a season behind Buffalo's 10-0-0 mark in 2006-07. If the Devils win this game, then they'll try to match the Sabres' record Monday in Philadelphia.

One of New Jersey's victories during its run came Oct. 24 in Pittsburgh. Martin Brodeur carried a shutout midway through the third period and Zach Parise had a goal and assist in the 4-1 victory,

Brodeur, a four-time Vezina Trophy winner, still needs one shutout to match Terry Sawchuk's NHL record of 103. Already the league's all-time wins leader with 567, Brodeur has three shutouts among 21 career wins in Pittsburgh.

Parise leads the Devils with eight goals and 11 assists. Not surprisingly, he's been the Devils' best offensive threat away from home with five goals and six assists in eight games.

The pair helped lead New Jersey to its sixth straight win, 3-1 over Anaheim on Wednesday. Brodeur stopped 31 shots and Parise assisted on Jamie Langenbrunner's goal 38 seconds into the contest before scoring short-handed with 13 seconds remaining in the second period.

That surge has moved New Jersey (12-4-0) into a tie with Pittsburgh (12-6-0) for the Atlantic Division lead.

The Penguins followed Saturday's 5-0 loss to San Jose with a 3-0 defeat to Boston on Tuesday. Pittsburgh hasn't scored in 149 minutes, 9 seconds and has dropped three straight on the road after a 7-0 start.

"We've got to find a way to score some goals," said captain Sidney Crosby, who has gone a career-high five consecutive games without a point. "That's the way it's been going the last week or two for us. It's been a long road trip, longer when you don't win. We've got to find a way to play better."

Crosby has scored 10 of 16 points this season at Mellon Arena, and has fared well there recently against New Jersey with four goals and three assists in a three-game run.

Crosby's drought, though, isn't the only reason for the Penguins' woes. Pittsburgh has gone scoreless in 23 straight chances with the man advantage since Oct. 28.

Should Marc-Andre Fleury start in goal for the Penguins, he'll try to avoid losing four straight starts for the first time since Dec. 27-Jan. 5 and try to turn around a wildly inconsistent season.

Fleury is 2-5-0 with a 3.17 GAA in his last seven starts after opening 8-0-0 with a 1.96 GAA. He's alternated losses and wins in his last five home starts against New Jersey.

Both clubs are dealing with injury issues.

For Pittsburgh, Stanley Cup playoffs MVP Evgeni Malkin (shoulder) hasn't played since Oct. 29 and is expected to miss at least another week. Sergei Gonchar (broken wrist) likely won't be back until December and Kris Letang (shoulder) and Tyler Kennedy (undisclosed) are also out.

The Penguins also lost one of their most physical players Tuesday as Brooks Orpik left in the first period with an undisclosed injury and is day to day.

The Devils' Brian Rolston missed Wednesday's game with an undisclosed injury or illness and joined Rob Niedermayer (upper body), Johnny Oduya (lower body), Paul Martin (broken forearm), Jay Pandolfo (shoulder) and Dean McAmmond (undisclosed illness) on the sidelines.

"I guess we're getting used to it," Langenbrunner said. "We're not the only team in the league that has to deal with it."