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Devils look to snap three-game slide vs. Panthers

Oct 26, 2006 - 1:01 PM Florida (5-5-1) at New Jersey (4-4-1) 7:30 pm EDT

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - The New Jersey Devils are hoping a return home can snap them out of an uncharacteristic funk.

New Jersey looks to snap a three-game losing streak Thursday when it hosts the Florida Panthers in the first of four meetings this season.

After allowing eight goals last Saturday against the Ottawa Senators - their highest single-game total in 13 years - the Devils suffered a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

Scott Gomez scored his third goal of the campaign and Sergei Brylin added his second for New Jersey, which has been outscored, 16-6, during the losing streak and 19-7 in the second period this season.

After dropping four of their last five games, including consecutive defeats to the Atlanta Thrashers, the Panthers posted their first road victory of the campaign with Wednesday's 4-2 triumph over the New York Rangers.

Jozef Stumpel scored the first and last goals of the game for Florida and Ed Belfour made 35 saves for his 459th career victory, second all-time behind Patrick Roy.

Belfour needs one shutout to tie Hall of Famer Tony Esposito for eighth place in league history (76) and coach Jacques Martin is one victory shy of his 450th.

New Jersey won the first three matchups against Florida last season before the Panthers took the last recent encounter, 4-0, on January 27.