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Devils, Islanders clash on Long Island

Nov 25, 2011 - 4:14 PM (Sports Network) - The Devils and Islanders will resume their Atlantic Division rivalry this afternoon on Long Island, as New York welcomes New Jersey for a Black Friday matinee at Nassau Coliseum.

This game marks the start of a home-and-home series, which will end tomorrow afternoon at New Jersey's Prudential Center. The Devils enter this season's series on a winning streak after taking the last four of six total encounters last year.

Jersey has beaten New York in five of the last seven matchups overall and the Devils have claimed two in a row and three out of five on Long Island.

The Devils have won three of their last four games and are coming off Wednesday's shootout decision over visiting Columbus. Martin Brodeur stopped 35 shots and turned aside two more in the shootout, helping the Devils edge the Blue Jackets, 2-1.

Ilya Kovalchuk went first in the shootout and scored on a snap shot. After Brodeur stopped Rick Nash, Zach Parise faked a forehand to draw Columbus goaltender Curtis Sanford out of position, then put a backhander in net.

That forced the remaining two Blue Jackets shooters to score, but Brodeur stymied Mark Letestu to secure the win. Brodeur was also tested in the third period, but stopped 16-of-17 shots to send the game into overtime.

"Once they started to really turn it up, they got some great chances," Parise said. "He made all the saves we needed him to make to get us to overtime. He was great."

Dainius Zubrus scored the lone goal in regulation for New Jersey. The Devils, who will head out on a four-game road trip after tomorrow's home test, are 6-5-0 as the visiting team this season.

The Islanders, meanwhile, have lost three straight and seven of their last eight games. New York was able to record just its 14th point of the season on Wednesday, as visiting Philadelphia rallied for a 4-3 overtime win at the Coliseum. Danny Briere tied the game late in regulation for the Flyers and then won it at the 2:34 mark of OT.

Kyle Okposo scored twice and Michael Grabner once in a three-goal first period for the Islanders, losers in 11 of 13. Rick DiPietro surrendered four goals on 33 shots.

"There's definitely something to be said about getting the bounces," DiPietro said. "I don't know what to say. It just wasn't our night. We could have scored on that power play in overtime, and then we lost it after."

The Isles have a 5-5-2 home record this reason compared to their winless 0-5-2 mark on the road.