Sport-scan daily brief

The Predators now head home for a five-game homestand without anything to show for their two road games against divisional opponents St. Louis and Colorado. Next up is Minnesota at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Tennessean LOADED: 10.05.2013

719562 New Jersey Devils

Devils' Pete DeBoer: Three goals should be enough to win

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 04, 2013 at 11:46 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 11:49 PM

Although the Devils scored three goals in their home opener, they had to settle for one point in their shootout loss to the Islanders.

"Three goals for us should mean a win,” coach Pete DeBoer said.

Forward Patrik Elias felt the Devils took a slight step backwards, even though they were shut out Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

“To be honest, I thought we played a better game in Pittsburgh, especially in the last two periods, than we did the whole game tonight,” Elias said. “We did some good things in the second period and some good things in the third. But, again, we gave them so many opportunities. We have to get that down.”

How did DeBoer feel?

“I probably would agree with that,” the coach said.

He was disapointed with the defensive breakdowns and did some juggling with his defense pairings.

“I didn’t like what we were seeing. We were a little loose defensively tonight. A small byproduct of that is probably the back-to-backs a little bit. At the same time, we have enough of these back-to-backs (this was the first of 22) we have to learn to play a little bit smarter game in these situations because these are going to be critical points moving forward.

“I thought our defensive zone coverage was pretty good. Our neutral zone a little loose and sloppy. It aws pretty good in Pittsburgh, especially in the second and third. It didn’t carry into tonight. Some credit to them. They throw a lot of speed at you.”

Goalie Martin Brodeur agreed.

“A lot of good things we have to build on,” Brodeur said. “Definitely we didn’t play as tight as we’d like in our own zone but offensively we again created good chances. The last two periods in Pittsburgh were pretty good but I thought most of the game today was good. We were looser defensively than we were in Pittsburgh.”

DeBoer said he was happy to see the three goals—two from Damien Brunner and one from Michael Ryder.

“I’m sure we’re going to be able to score goals,” DeBoer said. “The guys we have and the chances we created—even in Pittsburgh when we got shut out—we were creating chances. We’re going to score some goals. We have to get some of the other parts of the ice cleaned up.”

Jaromir Jagr, 41, played in both games of the back-to-backs.

He had 23 shifts for 15:40 of iec time in Pittsburgh and 18 shifts for 14:30 against the Islanders. Jagr had one shot on goal in each game.

“He didn’t play in any exhibition games. He missed training camp. Tough spot to throw him into. He gave us some good shifts in overtime down the stretch,” DeBoer said.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719563 New Jersey Devils

Devils fall to Islanders, 4-3, in shootout

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 04, 2013 at 9:57 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 11:25 PM

Devils coach Pete DeBoer saw something in Martin Brodeur before the 41-year-old goaltender strapped on his pads, emerged from the Zamboni entrance during player introductions and started his 19th consecutive home opener.

"He’s in the best shape I think he’s been in conditioning-wise and weight-wise in a long time," DeBoer said. "He looks hungry and ready."

Brodeur wasn’t perfect, but he came through with several vintage-type saves as the Devils picked up their first point of the new season in a 4-3 six-round shootout loss to the Islanders Friday night before a non-sellout crowd of 16,624 at Prudential Center.

"I haven’t played a game in two weeks, let alone an NHL game that counts," said Brodeur, who made 23 saves and stopped the first five shots he faced in the shootout before Matt Moulson became the first player to score.

"So for me it was good. I enjoyed the way I played. I’d like to get one goal back. I think I made the right decision on the first goal (by Michael Grabner), but I just didn’t get lucky there, and the puck slipped through my pad."

Grabner scored two goals and assisted on one by Frans Nielsen.

"The first one I surprised him. I think he just lost the puck and it went through me," Brodeur said. "The second one he kind of made a seeing-eye shot through my legs. I’d like to get that one back. It’s amazing how many breakaways that guy gets. We said it before the game, and he still got three or four of them."

There was reason for optimism from the Devils, who saw Swiss winger Damien Brunner make his debut with the team by scoring a pair of goals.

"It’s good when you get some goals early in the season. It gives you confidence," Brunner said.

Michael Ryder, another free-agent signing, also scored his first goal for the Devils.

"You don’t want to wait too long and feel pressure," Ryder said, "but it would be better if we’d come up on the winning side and got two points."

Brunner’s second goal tied the score, 3-3, at 7:34 of the third period. Seconds after a Devils power play had ended, Anton Volchenkov’s shot was tipped in front by Ryane Clowe and the puck dropped for Brunner, who lifted it over goalie Evgeni Nabokov’s right pad.

The Devils needed Brodeur to send it into overtime and then the shootout.

Grabner, looking for a hat trick, skated in alone at 9:12 of the third but was robbed by Brodeur. Then, with 6:28 left, he made a save on Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who was in the clear.

In OT, Brodeur’s big save came on John Tavares.

"That’s a big point. We have to start somewhere," Brodeur said. "A lot of new guys. You could tell a little bit with the shuffling and in the shootout. New face after new face. It’s going to take a little bit of time. We need to give ourselves some time. I think it’s a great thing we’re going on the road. Get to know each other.

"It’s a slow process. I think everybody wants it to be a fast process, but the fact is it’s a lot of new players learning a lot of different things about our system and jelling as lines and teammates. This was not a bad game whatsoever. It would’ve been a lot more fun to get two points. It didn’t happen. We’ve got to move on to the road and get some points over there."

Although the Devils were unable to get two points, it was a memorable home opener.

"It was pretty cool. It’s a real nice arena and the fans can get loud," Brunner said. "It was cool with the team presentation. It was definitely something special."

Particularly when new owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer dropped the ceremonial pucks. Blitzer wore a Brodeur jersey.

"I kind of noticed that," Brodeur said. "I have to ask for a job. I met one right after the game. They’re a class act."

He doesn’t need to ask for a job just yet.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719564 New Jersey Devils

Devils couldn't get one past Evgeni Nabokov in shootout

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 04, 2013 at 11:19 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 11:22 PM

When Damien Brunner, Ryane Clowe, Patrik Elias, Travis Zajac, Michael Ryder and Jaromir Jagr all failed to score in the Devils’ first shootout of the season, coach Pete DeBoer hoped it would continue into a seventh round.

“We still had a few options,” DeBoer said. “There were still some guys who didn’t get a chance to shoot. (Adam) Henrique was the next guy. We have some depth of options. We were hoping someone would end it.”

Someone did, but it was Matt Moulson of the Islanders. The Devils couldn’t get one past goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

“No one could score for some reason,” Ryder said after the 4-3 loss.

Brunner was the first shooter and was stopped.

“I still had time maybe to lift it up. Sometimes when the poke check comes fast you’re not thinking,” Brunner said. “When I shot low I knew it was not going in,” Brunner said.

Elias had the same trouble.

“I made the right move. I had him lying on his stomach,” Elias said. “I just didn’t put it high.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719565 New Jersey Devils

As they play: Devils vs. Islanders

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 04, 2013 at 6:48 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 9:47 PM

Martin Brodeur started his 19th straight home opener as the Devils hosted the Islanders Friday night at Prudential Center.

Evgeni Nabokov was in net for the Islanders.

Jacob Josefson, Rostislav Olesz and Mark Fayne were scratches. Mattias Tedenby is on non-roster IR.

Devils lines:

Ryane Clowe-Patrik Elias-Jaromir Jagr

Adam Henrique-Travis Zajac-Michael Ryder

Dainius Zubrus-Andrei Loktionov-Damien Brunner

Ryan Carter-Stephen Gionta-Steve Bernier

Defense pairings:

Bryce Salvador-Marek Zidlicky

Andy Greene-Adam Larsson

Anton Volchenkov-Peter Harrold

SHOOTOUT

Brunner was stopped

Nielsen missed with a backhander

Clowe was stopped with a blocker save

Bouchard slowed down and Brodeur made a glove save

Elias stopped on a backhander

Tavares was stopped

Zajac was stopped

Bailey hit the post

Ryder failed to score on his backhand

Okposo was stopped with a pad save

Jagr was stopped

Moulson wins it

OVERTIME

Zajac's shot at 2:01 was stopped and Bernier put the rebound over the crossbar.

Brodeur stopped John Tavares with 1:01 to go.

The Devils outshot the Islanders, 29-26.

End of OT: Devils 3, Islanders 3

THIRD PERIOD

Nabokov made a big save and the Islanders broke up ice to score the go-ahead goal at 1:01. Frans Nielsen took a long pass from Matt Donovan and carried the puck into the offensive zone. After dropping a pass to Grabner, Nielsen drove to the net and backhanded a shot through Brodeur's legs.

Moulson took a hooking penalty on Bernier at 5:26.

Brunner's second goal tied the score, 3-3, at 7:34. Just after the Devils' power play ended, took a Volchenkov shot that was tipped in front by Clowe. The puck dropped for Brunner, who lifted it over Nabokov's right pad.

Grabner skated in alone with 10:48 left and was robbed by Brodeur.

Carter took a hooking penalty at 10:04.

The attendance was 16,624, a non-sellout.

Nabokov made a save on Gionta's chance at 11:37 with the Devils shorthanded.

Brodeur stopped Bouchard with 6:28 to go.

The Devils were outshooting the Islanders, 28-25.

End of period: Devils 3, Islanders 3

SECOND PERIOD

Nabokov stopped Harrold's shot after 25 seconds and Ryder couldn't score on the rebound.

Harrold knocked Kyle Okposo down with a hit in the corner at 4:25.

Ryder's first goal for the Devils snapped the 1-1 tie at 4:46. Salvador's shot was blocked and the puck came out to Ryder in the left circle, where he fired a shot past Nabokov.

The Devils went on the power play at 5:49 when Pierre-Marc Bouchard was called for interference.

Brodeur protected the slim lead at 8:09 when he stopped a 20-foot slapper from Okposo.

Nabokov answered at 10:48 when he robbed Brunner, who redirected centering pass from Elias.

Jagr was moved to right wing with Carter and Gionta as Bernier moved up with Zubrus and Loktionov. New defense pairings: Greene and Harrold, Volchenkov and Larsson.

Grabner's second goal of the game evened the score, 2-2, at 13:43. Josh Bailey's pass from just inside his own end sent Grabner away for a shot from the right circle that went under Brodeur's left pad.

Jagr couldn't handle a cross-slot pass in the right circle with 2:36 to go.

The Devils were outshooting the Islanders, 20-16.

End of period: Devils 2, Islanders 2

FIRST PERIOD

Before the game began, new owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer dropped ceremonial pucks. Blitzer wore a Brodeur jersey.

Andrew MacDonald fired a shot past the net from the left point 33 seconds in.

Clowe had a scoring chance from in close at 1:16 but couldn't bury the shot.

Brunner scored the Devils' first goal of the season at 2:59. Zubrus took the initial shot, which deflected off Nabokov's glove and into the crossbar. Brunner tapped it in from near the right post.

The Devils have changed the song they play after a Devils goal to one which does not invite inappropriate chants, but it didn't go over well with the crowd, which sang: "Change it back."

Carter hit the left post at 5:20.

The Islanders tied the score at 8:07 when Michael Grabner used his speed to catch the Devils off guard. It appeared Salvador was going for a change when Grabner took a pass from Travis Hamonic and skated through the middle past Larsson.

Brodeur went down to make the stop, but Grabner was able to slide the puck underneath the goalie and into the net.

Brunner took a hooking penalty at 9:05.

Brodeur turned the puck over to Matt Moulson with 2:40 left, but neither Moulson nor Peter Regin were able to scored before the goalie got back into position.

The Islanders outshot the Devils, 9-7.

End of period: Devils 1, Islanders 1

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719566 New Jersey Devils

Devils: A slimmer, hungrier Martin Brodeur in net; more line changes

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 04, 2013 at 5:10 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 5:51 PM

Devils coach Pete DeBoer said goalie Martin Brodeur is ready for the team’s home opener against the Islanders.

It will be Brodeur’s 19th consecutive home opener and the coach says he is slimmer and hungrier.

“I think he’s good. He skated this morning and he’s ready,” DeBoer said. “He’s in the best shape I think he’s been in conditioning-wise and weight-wise in a long time. He looks hungry and ready.”

DeBoer wasn’t thrilled by his team’s performance in a 3-0 loss to the Penguins.

“Any coach will tell you this time of year there are a lot of areas you want to clean up,” he said. “To put it in a little box for you: I thought we did some things very well, some areas we were good, the handful of mistakes we made they capitalized on.

“They’re that kind of team and so is the team we’re playing tonight. We have to be prepared for that. You make mistakes against teams with Malkin, Crosby, Tavares it’s going to cost you.”

DeBoer did some line tinkering in Pittsburgh and will shake things up again tonight.

“We’re going to flip some more things around today,” the coach revealed. “We kind of juggled the lines again and we’re going to keep doing that until we get some type of chemistry that we like.”

Travis Zajac won’t be skating on the same line with Jaromir Jagr.

“I thought they had some good moments together,” DeBoer said. “But we didn’t score a goal as a group. There wasn’t one combination there that really blew me away.”

Other than Brodeur instead of Cory Schneider, there will be no other lineup changes for the Devils. Jacob Josefson, Mark Fayne and Mattias Tedenby will be scratches.

The Devils will introduce their new slogan before the game: "We are Jersey."

Andy Greene will wear the second 'A' in tonight's game. Zajac said he doesn't know if it will be a strict policy where he wears the letter for road games and Greene has it for home games.

"I don't know. If I have one on in the next game (in Winnipeg), I'll tell you," Zajac said. "I don't see it as being a big deal to either of us."

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719567 New Jersey Devils

Devils: Mark Fayne deals with being the odd man out on defense

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 04, 2013 at 1:48 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 2:51 PM

Sixteen months ago Mark Fayne was one of two Devils defenseman who played in all 82 regular-season games prior to figuring prominently in the club’s run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

Captain Bryce Salvador was the other.

But as the Devils opened their 31st season, Fayne was the odd man out on defense. He was scratched from Thursday night’s season-opening 3-0 loss in Pittsburgh and isn’t in the lineup again for tonight’s home opener at Prudential Center.

“We’ve got seven capable D and a few more down in the minors right now. I don’t think any spots are solid,” Fayne said after a grueling morning practice with assistant coach Mike Foligno. “I think I’m going to have to earn a spot through practice and these conditioning skates and try to get back out there.

“I know that once I get in there my job is to not come out. Right now I just have to have the mindset of just getting back into a game. You can’t worry about too much or look down the line because that will just get in your head and ruin your confidence. Right now I have to think back on the Stanley Cup run and all the other good memories I’ve had playing and draw from those.”

Fayne, 26, seemed to be on the verge of a steady spot in the lineup as one of the Devils’ top defensemen. But last season he dealt with a couple of injuries while appearing in 31 of 48 games.

The coaching staff seemed to lose a little faith in the Nashua, N.H., native.

“I got hurt at the end of last year, so I was out for the last eight games or so. I think that is what they were going off (coming into training camp). Then they made decisions off what they saw in camp. I just have to deal with it and fix it,” Fayne said.

“I think I had a solid camp, but I think everyone did. I think it was very competitive all the way to the end having (Alex) Urbom staying up and having (Eric) Gelinas and (Jon) Merrill sent down at the very end. With the number of D we had, it was very close. That’s what you want in camp. You want everbody pushing each other. I don’t think there is much separation from the top to bottom. As a team that’s what you want. As an individual it makes everybody stay on top of their game.”

Fayne said he is “perfectly” healthy now.

Interestingly, the Devils kept eight defensemen after training camp. To clear enough roster space they had to put Urbom on waivers with the hope of slipping him through and sending him back to Albany (AHL).

But the Washington Capitals claimed Urbom on Thursday. He will have a spot on coach Adam Oates’ club for at least a month.

Fayne could have viewed the loss of Urbom as a plus for himself, but he was happier for the 22-year-old Swede.

“To be honest, I was happy for him because that means he has to stay up for a month. I don’t think he’s really had that opportunity yet of being with a team for a full month,” Fayne said. “I think that’s going to give him an opportunity to show what he has. I know Oatsie liked him back when he was here. I think it’s good he’s goingto get a legitimate 30-day trial. I’m confident he’s going to stay all year.”

The Devils will begin a five-game Canadian road trip Monday night in Edmonton. Fayne would figure to get back into the lineup at some point during the trip, with a chance to reclaim his spot as a regular.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719568 New Jersey Devils

Pete DeBoer pleased with Jaromir Jagr's debut

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 03, 2013 at 10:46 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 1:02 AM

PITTSBURGH -- Jaromir Jagr was booed by Penguins fans every time he touched the puck Thursday night at Consol Energy Center, but the big winger was cheered by his coach after making his Devils debut.

“I thought he was excellent,” Pete DeBoer said of Jagr. “He worked his butt off.”

Jagr, of course, did not play a preseason game, so this was his true debut. He skated on a line with Travis Zajac and Adam Henrique.

“I felt okay,” Jagr said. “We had the puck most of the night and tried to cycle. It’s going to get better when we get to know each other a little more. So you can do it on a quicker speed so you don’t have to think about where the guy is, you’ll know where he is.

“We just gave then too many odd-man rushes. They were just waiting for their chances, coming a hundred miles an hour through the neutral zone just waiting for any mistakes you make.

"I felt like we were getting better in the second and third periods. But you're down, 2-0, so you have to open it up a little. It's a long season. There are a lot of new pieces to this team. We have to learn to play together."

Defenseman Anton Volchenkov, who fell down along the left wing boards in the offensive zone before Pittsburgh's first goal, said he was knocked down.

"It looked like (Chris) Kunitz pushed me in the back," Volchenkov said.

Volchenkov, like Jagr, wasn't discouraged by the 3-0 loss.

"It's just the start of the season," he said. "There are still 81 to go."

Ryane Clowe, involved in a first period fight with Tanner Glass, had two cuts above his right eyebrow.

"No stitches. Just a shiner. First game, I like that," Clowe said.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719569 New Jersey Devils

Devils open season with 3-0 loss to Penguins as goal scoring is an immediate concern

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 03, 2013 at 9:29 PM, updated October 04, 2013 at 10:30 AM

PITTSBURGH — After a turbulent summer in which the Devils lost Ilya Kovalchuk and David Clarkson, the immediate concern was scoring goals.

That didn’t change on opening night as the Devils were shut out by Marc-Andre Fleury and the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-0, Thursday night at Consol Energy Center.

It was the second time the Devils have been shut out in an opener, the first by the Flyers on Oct. 8, 2011. They were shut out four times during last season’s abbreviated 48-game schedule.

Cory Schneider, making his Devils debut in goal, suffered the loss as the Penguins scored twice in the opening period.

Still hopeful of a comeback, the Devils saw the game slip away when Craig Adams, playing in his 800th career NHL game, gave the Penguins a 3-0 lead at 11:42 of the third period.

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Tanner Glass started the breakout from his own end and it was Evgeni Malkin’s cross-ice pass that allowed Adams to beat Schneider on his glove side from just above the right circle.

When Adam Henrique was pulled down by Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen with 3:59 remaining, he was awarded a penalty shot. Fleury made a right pad save on Henrique to preserve the shutout.

With 2:25 to go, Marek Zidlicky put a shot on net and Clowe tried to jam the rebound inside the left post. Fleury made another pad save.

Jaromir Jagr, Damien Brunner, Michael Ryder and Ryane Clowe all made their Devils debuts in the loss.

"I know the media doesn’t give us many chances to make the playoffs but I think we can prove a lot of people wrong," Jagr said of the Devils’ chances this season.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.05.2013

719570 New Jersey Devils

A younger Jaromir Jagr wouldn't have liked Devils' strict rules

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 03, 2013 at 3:54 PM, updated October 03, 2013 at 3:58 PM

PITTSBURGH—Over the years, Jaromir Jagr has heard stories about the Devils and general manager Lou Lamoriello’s strict rules.

Consequently, playing for the Devils when he was young had no appeal to Jagr.

“I heard a lot of rumors about how the Devils run their organization. I knew there were strict rules everybody has to follow,” Jagr said today. “I don’t mind that at all. Maybe it would be different for me 15 years ago, but I agree with that. Whatever Lou tries to do, he wants everybody on the team to feel important.”

Jagr’s viewpoint has changed.