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Devils hope for better offensive effort against Islanders

Jan 17, 2009 - 11:27 AM New Jersey (26-15-3) at NY Islanders (12-28-4), 7:00 p.m. EST

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Despite struggling offensively, the New Jersey Devils escaped with a victory in the fourth game of the their road trip. Perhaps their fifth will prove to be a bit easier.

The Devils continue their season-high, six-game road swing on Saturday against the lowly New York Islanders in a battle of Atlantic Division foes.

Staring at the daunting task of solving rookie goaltender and Calder Trophy candidate Steve Mason on Friday, the Devils used goals by Travis Zajac and John Madden in a 73-second span midway through the third period to post a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

New Jersey improved to 3-1-0 on its current trek, and now takes on a team trying to ride ineffective rookie netminder Yann Danis, who is 0-4-0 with a 3.99 goals-against average in five games.

With starter Rick DiPietro on the shelf and Joey MacDonald suffering an injury earlier this week, the Islanders were forced to re-sign Wade Dubielewicz, who was playing in Russia and has to clear NHL waivers, and start Danis for the past two games.

New York dropped both of those games by 2-1 scores to the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

The Islanders have lost six games in a row and have notched just two victories since November 29.