Devils aim to extend road streak in Carolina

The New Jersey Devils will aim for a fifth straight road victory when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes for tonight's battle at RBC Center.

New Jersey has won its last four road games to give the club an 11-8-0 mark as the visiting team this season. The last time the Devils lost away from Newark was in a 4-2 setback at Winnipeg on Dec. 3.

Since that loss to the Jets in early December, the Devils have won seven of nine games overall. Jersey won for the fifth time in six outings by edging the visiting Washington Capitals in a shootout on Friday.

Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur made up for a poor third period in the win over the Capitals. Washington erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period to force overtime, but Brodeur stopped two skaters in the shootout, including a nifty glove save on Alex Ovechkin, as New Jersey claimed a 4-3 decision.

"He's not that unbelievable in shootouts," Brodeur said of Ovechkin, "but he's such a threat with his shot and his skill that I had to be sharp -- and I was lucky to make the save."

After the save on Ovechkin, Patrik Elias scored at the other end to cap a 2-0 New Jersey decision in the shootout.

Ilya Kovalchuk also scored in the shootout after netting a goal in regulation for the Devils. Alexander Urbom and Adam Henrique added goals and Brodeur finished with 22 saves to earn the win.

The Devils played their fourth straight game without Henrik Tallinder, who is dealing with back spasms.

The Hurricanes were also last in action on Friday and they won for just the third time in 14 games, beating visiting Ottawa in overtime. Tuomo Ruutu scored 1:36 into the OT session, pushing Carolina Hurricanes past the Senators, 2-1.

"It was a great shot, just the right height," said Ruutu. "Sometimes you hit it and sometimes you miss it. Tonight it went in so I'm happy about it."

Andreas Nodl also scored, while Cam Ward made 22 saves for the Hurricanes, who are 3-8-3 in their last 14 trips to the ice. Carolina is tied with the Islanders for last in the Eastern Conference with just 28 points in 36 games.

The Hurricanes are currently without defenseman Joni Pitkanen and center Jeff Skinner, who are both dealing with concussions. Carolina forward Tim Brent has sat out the last two games with an undisclosed injury and he is questionable for tonight.

Carolina is just 7-10-2 as the visiting team this year, but the 'Canes have won two of their last three on home ice.

New Jersey has taken five straight and six of the last seven meetings with Carolina. The Devils have won the first two of four encounters between the clubs this year and Jersey has claimed two of the last three matchups in Raleigh.