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Lowly Devils head to Atlanta

Dec 18, 2010 - 4:47 PM (Sports Network) - The New Jersey Devils will shoot for just their second win of the month when they visit the Atlanta Thrashers for tonight's test at Philips Arena.

The Devils have lost six out of seven games in December and have 20 points through the first 31 games of the season, leaving them ahead of only the New York Islanders in the NHL.

New Jersey has also lost seven straight on the road and will try to end that skid tonight when it begins a two-game swing. The Devils, who will also visit the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, last won a road game on November 3 in Chicago and they have a dismal 4-12-0 record as the guest this year.

The Devils suffered a loss Friday night on home ice, as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Nashville Predators, who received two goals from Martin Erat in the win at Prudential Center.

Mattias Tedenby provided the only offense for the Devils and Martin Brodeur allowed all three goals on 20 shots in defeat. The setback to Nashville came just two nights after Brodeur and New Jersey blanked the Phoenix Coyotes, 3-0, in Newark.

"It's another setback for us," said Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk. "We hoped to build on the previous win, but it didn't happen. We can't keep playing like this, especially in our own building."

Meanwhile, the Thrashers will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak in a month when they take the ice tonight. However, both of Atlanta's losses in its last two games came via the shootout and the Thrashers have still gained a point in four straight outings (2-0-2).

Atlanta was dealt a 3-2 loss by visiting Carolina on Thursday as Sergei Samsonov scored in the last round of the shootout to lift the Hurricanes. The Thrashers led 2-0 after 40 minutes, but Carolina was able to tie the game six minutes into third period.

"It's definitely disappointing, I mean you're always happy to get a point, but when you have a lead going into the third period you don't want to come away with just one point," said Atlanta goaltender Chris Mason. "You have to give those guys credit, they came out hard in the third and outworked us."

Evander Kane and Anthony Stewart each notched a goal and an assist for the Thrashers, who haven't lost three straight since Nov. 13-17.

Mason made 27 stops to fall to 7-5-2 on the season. Ondrej Pavelec, who is 10-6-3 this year, is expected to resume his starting role tonight for Atlanta.

The Thrashers have lost two straight on home ice after taking the previous six games at Philips Arena. Atlanta is 9-6-2 as the host this season.

Tonight's clash marks the first of four meetings between the Devils and Thrashers this season. New Jersey took three of four from the Thrashers last year and has won four of five, six of eight and nine of the last 12 encounters between these clubs. The Devils have also won six straight in Atlanta and haven't lost at Philips Arena since Jan. 20, 2007.