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Devils return indoors to battle Blues

Jan 28, 2014 - 4:28 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - After a disappointing showing in their outdoor game at Yankee Stadium, the New Jersey Devils will take on a team out for revenge in Tuesday's road tilt against the St. Louis Blues.

The Devils had won two straight heading into Sunday's Stadium Series clash in the Bronx, and one of those victories was a 7-1 home rout of the Blues. New Jersey made it two in a row with a 2-1 win over Washington on Friday, but the Devils wound up losing 7-3 to the rival New York Rangers in the high-profile matchup at Yankee Stadium.

Jersey actually held a 3-1 lead over the Rangers at one point in the first period, but the Blueshirts stormed back with six unanswered goals, including four in a brutal second period for the Devils and starting goaltender Martin Brodeur.

Brodeur started in net for the 100th time in his career against the Rangers, but was pulled after two periods -- tagged for six goals on 21 shots. Cory Schneider gave up a goal on five shots in relief.

Patrik Elias scored twice and Travis Zajac also scored for the Devils. Jaromir Jagr added two assists in the first period before New Jersey fell apart.

"In that second period they scored four goals and I feel like we stopped playing hockey," said Jagr. "We had things going pretty good in the first period then we changed our game, gave up too many breaks."

The outdoor contest was designated a home game for the Devils and the club will kick off a three-game road trip tonight. New Jersey is 10-13-5 as the guest this season and has lost two straight and four of five on the road.

The Blues, meanwhile, have appeared to rebound from their lopsided loss in New Jersey last Tuesday. St. Louis won its next two tests to close a four-game road trip with a 3-1-0 record and enters tonight trailing Chicago by one point for first place in the Central Division.

St. Louis closed its swing with Saturday's 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders, although the win did not come without a bit of controversy. T.J. Oshie tied the game at 19:33 of the third period, but the Blues appeared to have caught a break when an Islanders goal was waved off in overtime.

Thomas Vanek appeared to have the game-winner during a power play in overtime after the puck went off his left skate in the crease and slipped under Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak. But the goal was disallowed upon review and Alexander Steen and Kevin Shattenkirk scored in the shootout to give St. Louis the extra point.

"We did a great job on the bench of sticking with it," said Shattenkirk. "We didn't panic at the end and Oshie gets a goal to sent it to overtime and a shootout."

Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals for the Blues and Steen, who was questionable for the game because of a lower-body injury, got two assists. Halak had 33 saves, including three in overtime.

The Blues are 18-5-2 at home this season but they'll try to halt a two-game slide at the Scottrade Center on Tuesday and also exact a bit of revenge for last week's blowout loss in Newark. St. Louis had won three in a row in the series before getting beat by six goals, the club's largest margin of defeat this season.

The clubs haven't met in St. Louis since the Blues posted a 3-2 win on Nov. 20, 2010. That victory ended the Blues' four-game home losing streak against the Devils.

Brian Elliott surrendered three goals on nine shots to take last week's loss in New Jersey and Halak expects to get the call tonight. Halak, who stopped 10-of-14 shots in relief of Elliott last Tuesday, is 2-3-1 with a 3.01 goals against average in eight career outings versus the Devils.

Schneider should get the call again for New Jersey after stopping 26-of-27 shots in the 7-1 triumph at Prudential Center. He is 3-1-1 with a 1.77 goals against average in five career games against the Blues.