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Shanahan likely to play as Devils continue road trip

Jan 19, 2009 - 1:51 PM New Jersey (27-15-3) at Nashville (20-22-3), 8:00 p.m. EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Veteran left wing Brendan Shanahan last played with the New Jersey Devils 6,502 days ago. His high-profile return will provide even more help on a successful road trip.

Shanahan will set a record for the longest gap between games with one NHL team when he makes his season debut with the Devils, who seek their fourth consecutive win against the Nashville Predators on Monday.

A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Detroit Red Wings, Shanahan last played a regular-season contest as a Devil on March 31, 1991. The current mark for the longest gap between games for one NHL team is held by Buffalo's Randy Cunneyworth. He went 6,169 days between contests for the Sabres in December 1981 and November 1998.

The 39-year-old Shanahan, who was drafted second overall by the Devils in 1987, spent the previous two seasons with the New York Rangers but was not offered a contract in the offseason.

New Jersey is 4-1-0 on its current road swing, and has received a boost from All-Star Zach Parise, who has scored a goal in four of his last five games.

After sitting for the second time in five contests during Friday's edging of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Scott Clemmensen stopped 32 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Atlantic Division rival New York Islanders the following night.

The 31-year-old Clemmensen has seen the bulk of the playing time for the Devils since Martin Brodeur went down with a biceps injury in early November. Clemmensen, who improved to 17-9-1 this season, won his second straight start after suffering a personal three-game losing streak.

The Predators, who have dropped eight of their last 11 contests, are coming off a 7-2 drubbing at the hands of the lowly Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday.

All-Star defenseman Shea Weber and captain Jason Arnott each returned from injuries, but their efforts were not enough to keep Nashville from dropping its second game in a row.