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Devils visit Tampa, shoot for ninth straight win

Feb 25, 2011 - 3:57 PM (Sports Network) - Given how the season started for the Devils, very few could have been able to predict that the club would have a chance to post its longest winning streak in over three years.

Yet, New Jersey can do so tonight when it goes for its ninth straight victory in a meeting with Tampa Bay at St. Pete Times Forum, where the Lightning wrap an NHL record-tying 12-game homestand.

The Devils are an amazing 16-1-2 since a four-game slide to open January and its season-best eight-game winning streak has pulled the club to within nine points of the Hurricanes for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New Jersey is also 10-0-1 in February and it comes as no surprise that its current 19-game burst began with consecutive victories over the Lightning.

New Jersey claimed a 6-3 home win over Tampa Bay on Jan. 9, then skated to a 5-2 victory at the Lightning five days later thanks to a pair goals from Ilya Kovalchuk. The Devils have won 12 of the last 13 meetings between the clubs overall and six straight at St. Pete Times Forum.

The breaks have been going the Devils and Kovalchuk's way ever since. Kovalchuk has seven goals and six assists over an 11-game point streak and his flubbed shot on Tuesday led to the only goal of the game in a 1-0 triumph over the Stars.

On the power play, Kovalchuk attempted a one-timer from the left circle, but saw his stick break on the attempt. With not as much speed on the disc as probably anticipated, Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen stood no chance when rookie Nick Palmieri redirected it past him with 5:37 left to play.

"I'm just trying to set a screen in front and look for tips and rebounds," Palmieri said. "Just one of those plays where Kovy broke his stick, and I'm in front of the net. I got a little tip on it, and I guess [Lehtonen] didn't see it. So, we'll take it."

Johan Hedberg did his part with 19 saves for his second shutout in three games, third of the season and 17th of his career. He won his career-best seventh straight start and has the Devils in position to win nine straight for the first time since Nov. 17-Dec. 7, 2007.

Hedberg is expected to get his eighth start in a row again tonight even though Martin Brodeur was activated a week ago from injured reserve after recovering from a knee injury. It will mark Brodeur's fourth straight game as the backup.

New Jersey has won the first two of a four-game road trip and five straight as the guest overall to up its road record to 12-17-1.

While the Devils are surging on the road, the Lightning will close out their 12-game homestand this evening. After scoring just seven goals over a three- game slide, Tampa Bay matched its best offensive output of the season with an 8-3 win over Phoenix on Wednesday.

Teddy Purcell notched his first career hat trick and Vincent Lecavalier tied a career high with five points off a goal and four assists. Lecavalier has six goals and five assists over his last seven games.

"He's a dominant player for us," said Martin St. Louis, who had a pair of goals and an assist, of Lecavalier. "He's been our best player the last couple weeks, I think, and it showed tonight."

Tampa Bay, which leads the Southeast Division by three points over Washington, improved to 6-3-2 on its homestand and Sunday's road game versus the Rangers will be the club's first away from Tampa since Jan. 21.

Dwayne Roloson made 25 saves on Wednesday to improve to 10-6-1 with a 2.88 goals-against average and four shutouts in 17 starts since being acquired from the Islanders. With the 41-year-old grabbing hold of the No. 1 role, the Lightning traded backup Dan Ellis to Anaheim on Thursday for goaltender Curtis McElhinney.

A free-agent pickup this past offseason by the Lighting, Ellis went 13-7-6 with a 2.93 GAA in 31 games with Tampa Bay.

The Devils and Bolts will close out their regular-season series on March 2.