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Hurting Devils look to snap three-game skid in Florida

Mar 24, 2007 - 3:06 PM New Jersey (43-23-7) at Florida (31-30-13) 7:30 pm EDT

SUNRISE, Florida (Ticker) - New Jersey Devils forwards Brian Gionta and Patrick Elias have combined for 45 goals this season. Their absence is part of the reason the Devils are trying to hold off the hard charging Pittsburgh Penguins.

New Jersey is looking to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up their first win of their five-game road trip as they visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

The Devils lost Gionta and Patrick Elias along with fellow forward John Madden to groin injuries. But that is not all they have lost. The Pittsburgh Penguins are just two points behind the first-place Devils after trailing by them 11 points at the end of February.

Losing Gionta, who has been out since March 6, and Elias, who has not played since March 14, has crippled the Devils. They have managed just three goals during their current three-game losing streak.

The Panthers are on a roll, having won eight of their last 12 games, but are out of playoff contention, and will look to play spoiler for the remainder of the season.

The good news is the Devils have won eight of their last 10 against the Panthers, and two of three this season. They will be looking for revenge though, as their last meeting was a 4-2 loss in Florida on January 27.