RW Langenbrunner scores twice in season debut for Devils

Nov 15, 2007 - 5:41 AM NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Veteran right wing Jamie Langenbrunner scored twice in his season debut for the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, two months after undergoing sports hernia surgery.

After missing the entire preseason and the first 17 games of the regular campaign, Langenbrunner scored on his first shift, putting a rebound past New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist just 35 seconds into the contest. He tallied again with 12 1/2 minutes left in the third period, but the Devils lost, 4-2.

"It felt good to get on the ice with the guys again and contribute a little," Langenbrunner said. "But it wasn't successful because we were here to get a win, and we didn't do that."

The 32-year-old Minnesota native is coming off a career season in which he ranked third on the team in scoring with 23 goals and 37 assists in 82 games. He led the club with 12 power-play tallies and seven game-winners.

Langenbrunner won a Stanley Cup championship with the Dallas Stars in 1999 but was traded to New Jersey with veteran center Joe Nieuwendyk for center Jason Arnott and right wing Randy McKay on March 19, 2002. A year later, he won another Cup with the Devils.

New Jersey also announced the signing of veteran center Erik Rasmussen to a professional tryout contract. The 30-year-old spent the last three seasons with the Devils, totaling three goals and seven assists in 71 games in 2006-07.

Rasmussen - the seventh overall pick in the 1996 draft by the Buffalo Sabres - was assigned to Lowell of the American Hockey League, where he will make his season debut on Saturday against Hartford.