This is the offense the New Jersey Devils expected this season.
In their past two games, both wins over the Southeast Division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning, the Devils have scored 11 goals, the most in two consecutive games this season.
New Jersey's offense will look to lead the Devils' to a three-game win streak tonight against the Florida Panthers at the BankAtlantic Center.
Tonight's game is the first of four meetings between the two teams this season. Last year, they split the season series, with former Devils goalie Scott Clemmensen winning two games.
New Jersey enters tonight riding their second two-game win streak this season. The Devils' snapped an 11 game road losing streak with a 5-2 defeat of the Lightning last night. Steven Stamkos struck first, putting Tampa Bay ahead with a powerplay goal at 5:06 of the first period. That would be all the offense for the Lightning in the period, as the Devils reeled off four straight goals to take a 4-1 lead after the first period.
It wasn't just the offense leading the way. Martin Brodeur, who struggled early this season, was sharp last night. His glove save on Simon Gagne in the first period kept the Devils ahead and frustrated the Lightning. Brodeur reached out with his glove to make a save on Gagne's shot, but the puck fell to the ice. It rolled along the goal line before Brodeur reached back with his glove to swipe it away.
The Devils' goalie believed it was in the net.
"I thought it was in," Brodeur admitted to Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record. "When I made the save, it went on the goal line and then it started rolling toward the net and that's where I scooped it, so I lost sight of what the puck was doing, but it was definitely going in. I couldn't tell because my glove kind of scooped it, so I didn't know if it was in or not."
Brian Rolston, who had four points in the two wins over the Lightning, admired Brodeur's performance.
"Marty was awesome tonight," Rolston told Gulitti. "Give credit where credit is due. He was awesome when he had to be for us. Marty has taken a lot of heat for this (season), but the bottom line is the opportunities that were in front of him were not the easiest stops to make. Tonight we were able to make it a little easier on him and he was there when we needed the big one."
Brodeur, who has stopped 82 of 87 shots in the Devils' two wins, isn't the only veteran playing better. Ilya Kovalchuk, recorded his second multi-goal game of the season last night. He has four points (two goals, two assists) in his last two games. While a Thrasher, Kovalchuk recorded 31 goals in 48 games against the Panthers.
The Devils will look to win three games for the first time since winning five straight from December 12 to December 21of 2009.