NEW JERSEY DEVILS NOTES:
Last Game:
Tampa Bay Lightning 4 (SO) New Jersey Devils 3
(41-22-6 – 88 PTS) (44-17-7 – 95 PTS)
Three Stars: 1. T. Meier 2. A. Killorn 3. S. Stamkos
SCORE 1ST 2ND 3RD OT SO FINAL
Tampa 1 1 1 0 1 4
DEVILS 0 1 2 0 0 3
Goals:
TBL: R. Colton, S. Stamkos, St. Stamkos (PPG), A. Killorn (GDG)
NJD: T. Tatar, T. Meier, T. Meier (PPG)
INJURIES/ILLNESS
PLAYER INJURY OUT SINCE GAMES MISSED
Jonathan Bernier – LTIR Lower-body, hip 2021-22 68
Mackenzie Blackwood I.R. Lower-body 2/21/23 12
2022-23 Total Man-Games Lost to Injury/illness: 184
TRANSACTIONS
DATE PLAYER ACTION
3/3/23 Curtis Lazar Acquired via trade from VAN
3/3/23 Kevin Bahl & Akira Schmid Loaned to & recalled from Utica
3/3/23 Graeme Clarke Reassigned to Utica
3/17/23 Nolan Foote Recalled from Utica
WHAT TO KNOW
The Devils hosted Tampa for consecutive home games via Tuesday, March 14, and Thursday, March 16. The Devils logged a 4-1 loss on Tuesday and then a 4-3 shootout loss on Thursday.
The last time that the Devils played Tampa in consecutive games, and with no games vs other opponents in between, in the regular-season was Jan. 9, 2011, to Jan. 14. Jersey team hosted the Bolts in the first game (6-3, W) and then visited Tampa for the second contest (5-2, W).
The consecutive contests vs Tampa marked the first time in franchise history that the team plays Tampa at home in the regular season and in consecutive games. The Devils never visited Tampa for consecutive games played in franchise history.
Tuesday’s 4-1 loss ended New Jersey’s three-game winning-streak that the team earned. The Devils were also held to one goal in a contest for the seventh time this season (1-6-0 record).
The Devils enter Saturday’s contest seven wins shy of tying the franchise record (51) for the most wins in a single season, which was earned in 2008-09.
The last time that the Devils earned 44 wins in a singles season was in 2017-18, and the last time that Jersey logged more than 44 wins in a season was in 2011-12 (48-28-6).
MARCH MADNESS
The Devils’ schedule for March entails 16 games, which marks the most contests that the team plays in a single month this season. The second most games played in a single month this season was 14 in November, after the team posted a 13-1-0 record. Jersey’s 30 goals for in the month of March led all Eastern Conference team, but ranked sixth in the NHL, per March 17. Jersey’s power-play% ranked tied for fifth n the NHL with Florida and Detroit and at 30.0% for the month of March, per March 17; while the team’s penalty kill ranked fourth at 87.5. The team is averaging 34.4 shots per game this month, which ranked fourth in the NHL…Florida ranked first this month at 40.0 S/GP. Florida is fresh off a 9-5 victory vs Montreal. The Panthers netted seven goals in the first period, which marked the most goals scored in a single period for franchise history
VS CONFERENCE/DIVISION
The Devils are 21-4-4 vs the Western Conference this season. The franchise record for most wins vs the Western Conference was 18, which was logged in 2000-01.
The Devils enter tonight’s contest with a 23-13-3 record vs the Eastern Conference and a 9-8-1 record vs the Atlantic Division for 2022-23. The team’s 23 wins vs the East are the third most earned in the NHL, while Boston ranks first (28) and Carolina ranks second (26).
FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:
BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT
- F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 43
- F Givani Smith | Games Missed: 8
Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 205
LAST GAME
Panthers 9, Canadiens 5 – March 16 – FLA Live Arena
FLA Goals: White (8), Verhaeghe (33), Forsling (9), Ekblad (11), Lomberg (10), Reinhart (24), Verhaeghe (34), Ekblad (12-PPG), Tkachuk (31)
MTL Goals: Matheson (7), Richard (3), Pezzetta (6), Harvey-Pinard (9), Pitlick (5-PPG)
FLA Goalie: Bobrovksky (W) – 25 Saves
MTL Goalie: Allen (L) – 12 Saves, Montembeault – 21 Saves
FLA Shots: 42
MTL Shots: 30
Notes: Florida extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1)…The Panthers scored a franchise-record seven goals in the first period, all at even strength…Florida’s nine goals fell one shy of the franchise single-game record (10, Nov. 26, 1997 vs. BOS)…Matthew Tkachuk (1-3-4) recorded at least three points for the third consecutive game (3GP, 3-7-10)…Aaron Ekblad (2-0-2) scored 2 goals, surpassing R. Svehla for most multi-goal games by a d-man in club history (6)…Carter Verhaeghe (2-0-2) recorded his 8th multi-goal game of the season, extending his point streak to 3 games (2-2-4)…Aleksander Barkov notched two assists, extending his point streak to 5 games (1-7-8)…Sam Reinhart tallied a goal for the 3rd straight game, with four points (3-1-4) over that span…Brandon Montour notched an assist to extend his point streak to 3 games (1-4-5)…Ryan Lomberg scored his career-high 10th goal of the campaign…Radko Gudas posted an assist and led FLA with seven hits…FLA PP: 1-4, FLA PK: 0-1
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- March 15: G Mack Guzda recalled from Charlotte (AHL) | G Alex Lyon loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
- March 13: D Marek Alscher agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract commencing in 2023-24
PANTHERS vs. CANADIENS
ALL-TIME vs. MTL: 53-38-6-11
ALL-TIME HOME vs. MTL: 29-19-3-5
2022-23 vs. MTL: 2-0-0
CATS STATS
- Ryan Lomberg’s goal March 16 vs. NJD marked his 10th of the season, surpassing his previous career mark of nine from 2021-22
MARCH MADNESS
The Panthers and Canadiens combined for 14 goals March 16 at FLA Live Arena. Florida’s seven first-period tallies surpassed their previous franchise record of six (April 5, 2000 vs. BOS, 2nd period). Their nine total goals fell one shy of the franchise record of 10 (Nov. 26, 1997 vs. BOS), and represented the fourth time in club history the Cats have amassed at least nine goals in a game. All seven first-period goals were scored at even strength. The only team in NHL history to score more goals in the first period of regular season game was MTL with eight in the first period at the Toronto St. Pat’s on March 8, 1922. The Panthers and Canadiens combined for 10 goals in the opening period. The only other games in NHL history with as many tallies in the opening frame were BUF vs. MTL on Oct. 26, 1982 and CGY vs. VAN on Jan. 16, 1987, per NHL PR.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Panthers play the final game of a season-long seven-game homestand tonight against New Jersey. Over the course of the homestand (since March 2) Florida owns a 4-1-1 record, out-shooting their opponents by an average of 40.0 to 26.5. Matthew Tkachuk leads the Panthers with 12 points (3-9-12) since March 2. The Cats have registered an 11-4-1 record over their past 16 games at FLA Live Arena since Jan. 3, averaging 41.6 shots on goal per game. Florida leads all NHL teams this season with 39.3 shots on goal per game at home and their 3.82 goals per game at home rank third. Tkachuk has amassed a team-leading 54 points (17-37-54) over 32 games at FLA Live Arena this season, the fourth-most single-season home points in franchise history.
CATS AND DEVILS
Florida faces off against New Jersey for the third and final time in 2022-23, with each team having won once on the road thus far. The Panthers have earned at least one point in six of their past eight matchups (5-2-1) against the Devils dating to April 6, 2019. Aleksander Barkov has produced 18 points (10-8-18) over 20 career matchups against New Jersey, and Gustav Forsling has recorded five points (3-2-5) across seven career matchups with the Devils. Sergei Bobrovsky owns an 18-6-1 record with a .920 save percentage over 26 career games against New Jersey.
