New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer almost beat his former team, the Florida Panthers, in the team's first meeting on November 21.
New Jersey jumped all over Florida, scoring three goals in the first period. But they couldn't hold off the Panthers, as DeBoer's former squad scored four straight goals to beat the Devils, 4-3.
Tonight, DeBoer will get his second chance to beat the Panthers as the two teams square off at the BankAtlantic Center. Gametime is 7:30 p.m. and can be seen on MSG Plus.
Florida returns home after dropping two straight games on the road. They were outscored, 8-2, in losses to the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers. The Rangers blew out the Panthers, 6-1, Sunday at Madison Square Garden. Five different Rangers scored goals, led by Derek Stepan, who scored twice. Marian Gaborik collected two points (1g, 1a) and Brad Richards scored his 11th goal of the season. Jose Theodore allowed six goals on 22 shots before being pulled in the second period.
The Panthers are looking to avoid their second three game losing streak of the season. They suffered three straight shutout losses between October 31 and November 6.
New Jersey will look to push their road winning streak to three games. The Devils defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-4, last night at the St. Pete Times Forum. It was just the second time the team scored five goals in regulation. Five different Devils scored goals. Zach Parise and Adam Henrique led the team with three points each. Johan Hedberg stopped 32 shots for his ninth win of the season.
The Panthers have won two straight games over New Jersey dating back to last season. They've scored nine goals in those two wins. Kris Versteeg led the way in their 4-3 win, collecting three points. Theodore stopped 22 shots for the win. Martin Brodeur, who did not play in last night's win, stopped 32 in the loss.
Tonight marks the second of four meetings between the two teams. It will be the last time the Devils visit the BankAtlantic Center this season.