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Devils-Lightning Preview

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:38 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

New Jersey (0-2-0) at Tampa Bay (0-1-1), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Following one of their best seasons in franchise history, the New Jersey Devils are off to their worst start in eight years.

The Devils, however, have a strong chance to break through Thursday night as they'll try to continue their dominance over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opener of a three-game road trip.

After winning a franchise-record 51 games en route to 106 points in 2008-09, New Jersey (0-2-0) has struggled at both ends so far this season. All-time wins leader Martin Brodeur has a 4.03 goals-against average and the team has averaged two goals while experiencing lengthy scoring droughts.

In Monday's 3-2 loss to the visiting New York Rangers, New Jersey couldn't hold a pair of one-goal leads and failed to score over the final 49:08. The Devils didn't record their first goal in Saturday's 5-2 defeat to Philadelphia until 9:44 into the third period, when they were trailing 4-0.

"Definitely not the way you want to start," captain Jamie Langenbrunner said. "There are some growing mistakes as far as questionable decisions at tough times. You will have those when you have a whole new lineup, and we're going to have to get through that quickly."

The Devils are hoping that getting away from home will help them avoid losing three straight to open the season for the first time since 2001-02, when New Jersey started 0-3-1.

"It'll be nice to be out together, not just for one day, but six days on the road," Brodeur told the Devils' official Web site.

The Devils will also visit Florida and Washington, but there may not be a much better place for them to start that trek than in Tampa. They enter this game searching for their eighth straight win over the Lightning (0-1-1) and fourth in a row at the St. Pete Times Forum.

New Jersey has outscored the Lightning 28-16 since Oct. 31, 2007, and Brodeur has four wins in that streak while posting a 1.87 GAA.

On April 3, Brodeur relieved an injured Kevin Weekes in the second period and the Devils got an overtime goal from Zach Parise in a 5-4 victory.

Parise, who set career highs with 45 goals and 94 points last season, will be looking to get going as he has just one assist so far. He and Langenbrunner had five points apiece in four matchups with the Lightning last season while Dainius Zubrus had a team-best four goals and seven points.

While New Jersey's slow start is rare, Tampa Bay has dropped its first two games for the second straight season. The Lightning were 0-2-3 to begin 2008-09 as they went on to post NHL's second-worst record.

After giving up six goals in Saturday night's season opener in Atlanta, Mike Smith yielded just one first-period score Tuesday night at Carolina but couldn't prevail in a 2-1 shootout loss.

"It's a little mental right now," coach Rick Tocchet said. "You've just got to free your mind."

Like New Jersey, Tampa Bay has scored four goals in its first two games with Martin St. Louis accounting for two with one assist.

St. Louis had two goals and two assists last season against the Devils, and Ryan Malone scored four goals in the four games.

Smith suffered a 4-3 shootout loss in his only game versus New Jersey on Nov. 5.