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Devils look to bounce back against Thrashers

Nov 1, 2008 - 10:56 AM Atlanta (2-6-2) at New Jersey (5-2-2), 7:00 pm EDT

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- There's consolation to both the struggling New Jersey Devils and Atlanta Thrashers - one losing streak will come to an end.

Martin Brodeur and the Devils hope to snap a three-game slide when they host the lowly Thrashers on Saturday.

New Jersey has fizzled after its 5-1-0 start but still has found a way to pick up two points by extending two games during its slide beyond regulation. It fell, 3-2, in overtime in the second game of a home-and-home series with Philadelphia on October 25 before enduring a 6-5 shootout loss to Toronto on Wednesday.

After yielding just nine goals over the first six games of the season, the Devils have allowed five in regulation twice during their losing streak.

Brodeur faced a career-high 48 shots prior to the shootout against the Maple Leafs, one more than the Florida Panthers recorded against him on April 10,1994. The four-time Vezina Trophy winner turned aside 43 shots in regulation and did not face a single one in overtime as the Devils recorded six - including five during a full two-minute power play - but were unable to get one past Vesa Toskala.

While Brian Rolston (high ankle sprain) and Bobby Holik (fractured right pinky) continue to miss time, captain Jamie Langenbrunner was able to play Wednesday after missing a game with a lower body injury. However, defenseman Andy Greene suffered a broken hand in the loss to Toronto and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

The Thrashers, meanwhile, have dropped five in a row and eight of their last nine. During their recent skid, they have allowed a plethora of goals, including seven in Tuesday's 7-0 loss to the Flyers.

Todd White, defenseman Ron Hainsey and Bryan Little have been leading Atlanta's offense while superstar Ilya Kovalchuk has struggled, notching just three goals in 10 games thus far this season.