By ,
Published May 02, 2016
(SportsNetwork.com) - The New Jersey Devils look to avoid matching their longest losing streak of the season on Tuesday night when they play host to the Buffalo Sabres.
The Devils have lost four straight in regulation, one off the season-high five-game slide they posted from Nov. 22-Dec. 2 (0-3-2) and matched from Dec. 9-17 (0-3-2). They'll hope to avoid doing so again tonight in the opener of a six-game homestand.
New Jersey was last in action on Saturday in Nashville and dropped a 3-1 decision. Cory Schneider kept his club in it early and ended with 35 saves, while Steve Bernier had a power-play goal in the second period.
Bernier's goal tied the game with 2:23 left in the second period as the Devils held things close despite getting outshot 20-3 in the opening frame.
"I thought after the first we regrouped and came back," Schneider said. "Easily could've gone our way, unfortunately it didn't."
The Devils took the first of three meetings this season with the Sabres 4-1 in New Jersey on Jan. 6, their third straight home victory in this series.
It was a milestone night for Patrik Elias, who reached 1,000 career points with a goal and two assists in the win. He also reached 600 career assists in the contest.
Schneider made 20 saves, improving to 2-2-2 lifetime versus the Sabres with a 1.64 goals against average and .929 save percentage in six games (5 starts).
Buffalo comes into this matchup having lost three in a row, most recently falling 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.
Nikita Zadorov provided Buffalo's lone tally and Michal Neuvirth stopped 28- of-30 shots as the Sabres fell to 3-20-1 over their past 24 games.
Neuvirth, expected to get the bulk of the starts down the stretch following last week's trade of goaltender Jhonas Enroth, has lost each of his past 10 starts and hasn't won since Nov. 15.
"He played well, especially in the first period," Sabres coach Ted Nolan said of Neuvirth. "He really kept us in the game."
Neuvirth is 4-2-3 with a 2.06 GAA and .928 save percentage in nine career meetings with the Devils.
Buffalo defenseman Zach Bogosian, who was acquired from Winnipeg on Wednesday as part of the Evander Kane trade, had 11 hits over 24 minutes and 49 seconds of ice time in his debut.
The Sabres were without forward Patrick Kaleta and defenseman Josh Gorges due to injury on Sunday. Gorges is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, but Kaleta is expected to miss the next 4-to-6 weeks due to a lower-body ailment that will require minor surgery.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/sliding-devils-host-sabres