(Sports Network) - The New Jersey Devils will once again try for their first home win of the season when they host the Edmonton Oilers tonight at the Prudential Center.
New Jersey is 0-5-2 as the home team this year and has dropped both games so far on a three-game homestand. The Devils opened the residency with a 3-0 loss to the rival New York Rangers and dropped a 5-4 shootout decision to Buffalo on Wednesday.
Derek Roy scored the decisive goal for the Sabres on Wednesday, beating Johan Hedberg with a nifty backhander in the fourth round of the shootout. The Devils had Ilya Kovalchuk left to try and even things, but the high-priced forward never even attempted a shot on goal as he lost control of the puck while skating towards Buffalo netminder Jhonas Enroth.
Jason Arnott scored twice for the Devils, while Hedberg made 38 saves in the losing effort.
"It's nice to score, especially at home, we haven't done a lot of that," Arnott said. "It's a confidence booster for us. Everybody contributed tonight but we had that lapse of a few minutes and they were right back in the game again. You have to learn from that and be ready to go again."
Hedberg has started the last two games for New Jersey while No. 1 netminder Martin Brodeur nurses a bruised right elbow. Brodeur had a full practice on Thursday and is questionable for tonight's contest.
Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner is also questionable tonight after suffering a head injury against the Sabres. The veteran winger is tied for the team lead with nine points on the year.
The Devils and Oilers enter tonight tied for last in the NHL with just 10 points apiece. After winning the opener of a five-game road trip in Chicago, Edmonton has dropped back-to-back games in regulation and has been outscored by a 13-3 margin in those games.
Edmonton was slammed, 7-1, by Carolina on Tuesday and last night was delivered a 6-2 defeat in Detroit. The Oilers are just 2-4-2 as the visiting team this season and will complete their swing Sunday against the New York Rangers.
Dustin Penner and Theo Peckham scored for the struggling Oilers in Thursday's loss. Nikolai Khabibulinyielded all six goals on 34 shots for Edmonton.
"They're a good team, very opportunistic and patient," said Penner. "From our viewpoint I think we were more focused than we were the night before. But, sometimes when it rains it pours, we just have to regroup and get out game back."
Oilers centerman Shawn Horcoff is expected to miss his third straight game with a thigh injury tonight. Horcoff is tied for second on the team this season with nine points (4 goals, 5 assists).
The Oilers posted a 2-0 home win over New Jersey in the only meeting between the clubs last year. Edmonton has taken two straight in the series and is 4-2-0 with a tie in the last seven meetings in the Garden State.