While the Islanders glimpsed hope for their future, the Devils were haunted again by the specter of scoring famine that threatens to undo their present.
“Score one goal? It’s not enough,” Devil coach Brent Sutter finally conceded last night after his team was limited to that total or less in regulation for the 26th time this season, falling 3-1 to the Isles in Newark – keeping the Devils from taking over first place from the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference.
The two weakest offenses in the East collided in Newark last night, and it was the worst one, the one that is all but certain to miss the playoffs, that triumphed. The Devils can’t be confident of lasting long into April with this sort of production.
As good as they are defensively, they’ve lost 22 of those 26 (4-18-4).
The Devils’ familiar failing gave 19-year-old Islander hope Kyle Okposo the stage to snap a 1-1 tie with his first NHL goal in his second game with only 3:35 left. He led the Isles out of their six-game losing streak, while the Devils lost their second straight, and sixth of 11 (5-4-2).
“It was unbelievable, especially getting it against Martin Brodeur. It’s a great feeling. I don’t know what would be better than that,” said Okposo, the Isles’ 2006 first-rounder, who also notched his first NHL point on their game-opening goal.
Okposo, who was 8-16-24 in 29 games with Bridgeport this year, helped set up Blake Comeau’s seventh of the season 4:46 into play. Comeau’s shot from the left circle used Richard Park as a screen while Rod Pelley, Arron Asham and Sheldon Brookbank watched.
The Devils answered on the power play at 12:46 of the first, as Travis Zajac scored his first goal in more than a month, snapping a 13-game drought with his 14th this year.
Wade Dublielewicz has the Isles’ main goaltending duties now that Rick DiPietro is out for the season following hip surgery this week. Now 3-0 lifetime against New Jersey, he triumphed despite a 35-16 Devils shot advantage. His lone blemish was being unable to cover the rebound of a Brian Gionta shot that Zajac tucked around his left skate.
Sutter agreed with video review that disallowed an apparent Sergei Brylin goal at 5:15 of the second, when Brookbank dislodged the net.
Zajac’s night came undone when he took a foolish penalty, reaching his arm toward Park in the offensive zone. Okposo made him pay, and Trent Hunter added the empty-netter with 18.8 seconds left.