Devils have day off before taking on Rangers

The Devils will not practice after playing on back-to-back nights. They'll rest up today for Monday night's game against the Rangers at Prudential Center.

The Devils lead the Rangers by six points in the Atlantic Division standings. The Rangers are on a season-worst four-game losing streak (0-3-1). The Devils have lost two of three since an eight-game winning streak, with both losses coming at home. They opened a five-game homestand with a 3-1 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday night after winning 5-1 in Atlanta on Friday.

The Devils and the Rangers have split their first four games this season. The Devils defeated the Blueshirts the last two times they have met, including a 4-2 victory in their most-recent game on Dec. 27 at Madison Square Garden. Before that, the Rangers had won nine of their previous 10 regular season meetings.

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is still experiencing some lingering symptoms from the flu bug that kept him out of Friday's 10-2 loss in Dallas, but it looks like he'll start against the Devils.

With no practice today, we'll have to wait until Monday's morning skate to find out whether Scott Clemmensen or Kevin Weekes will start in net for the Devils. If I had to guess, I'd say it would be Clemmensen, but that's only because Brent Sutter has gone back to Clemmensen so often this season. Sutter mentioned after Saturday's game that he thought Clemmensen was "solid" against the Kings and didn't get much help from his teammates.

It was definitely a better performance by Clemmensen than in the 5-2 loss to Washington on Tuesday.

Comments

[RSC]

Any idea who is starting in goal on Monday, TG?

[Steve]

TG, what mask was marty wearing the other day?!

[TG]

I mentioned in the post below that Brodeur was wearing his new, MB30 mask.

And I don't know who will start for the Devils in net on Monday. I just added my guess above that it will be Clemmensen, but that's purely a guess by me.

[DOC]

MB30, read the post.

[Matt McNaught]

Steve - Marty is using the MB30 mask.

Off topic, referencing prior post re: Martin being a UFA after next season:

@MTLsDevils - Martin's a very good player, he's at almost $4M per yr now. Other players have been let go if Lou decides the $ gets too high. I question whether NJ will want to do a multi year deal at $5M - $6M per yr after next season. For comparison Rafalski's at $6M.

@roshacla / Pat - UFAs have walked before:

Holik - 2002 (pre cap) to NYR for $45M - one of the deals that resulted in the cap being out in place

Niedermayer - NJ offered more $ but left anyway to join Rob on Ducks

Rafalski - went home for $6M per yr deal from Wings

Gomez - long term deal for $7.3M / yr cap hit - to me that's insane Pat

[embo slice]

my guess is that will be clemmer too.....he can't be to blame on any 3 of the goals last nite, although he got beat easily on the penalty shot, but still, its a penalty shot....i usually pull for weekes to get in, but i want to see clemmensen again on monday and then for weekes to get in vs the islanders and atleast 1 more time the following week.....weekes definitely deserves to get in more often than he has and i see it as being fair for both goalies going forward and closing in on brodeur's return

[Pat D'Amico]

Should we assume White won't be in the lineup on Monday?

[Jersey Mike]

If White can't go , bring up Corrente to see his first action in the NHL vs the Rags.

[Baggy Spandex]

No way Jersey Mike. Leach has been solid for us. It's pretty much a lock for him to be a fill-in if we need a D-man.

[Jeff]

If we need to call up another Defenseman it will be Salmela.
I am assuming we won't see White until at least the playoffs and won't know the full extent of his injury until after the trade deadline. Lou will not give other GMs any leverage to use if he plans to go after a Defenseman.

[Jdog]

two Devils pieces for you to read...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/121503-jim-schoenfeld-have-another-donut

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/121476-martin-brodeur-the-road-to-returning-begins-potential-stanley-cup-looming

[redante1]

I dont know why insists havin shanahan on the PK... Why wear him out when we have 3 other players who arent even getting pk time that can kill penalties (rolston, parise, Gio)

Also,
Rolston has 5 PP goals and Shannahan has 2 already. These two guys are obviously the most dangerous PP guys on the team. WHY are they on the second unit and only see 40 second of pp time during each penalty. The faceoffs in offensive zone whens theres a penalty why wouldnt you want their shots out there when we are already in there zone. Martin does not have a slap shot. Makes noooooo sense. STACk one PP unit and itll be one of the most dangerours in the league.

Rolston, Shanny, Elias, Parise, Zajac....play them for a 1:30 of every PP