It’s still Daylight Saving Time, but it’s threatening to get dark early in New Jersey anyway.
The Stanley Cup champions have gone all of two games without winning at home, no great reason for panic. But the last time the Devils went with a victory in their first three Meadowlands games of the year was 1989-90, and their worst-in-Jersey 1983-84 season was their only other example.
“Overdue,” John Madden said, with the Panthers visiting tonight. “We want to establish our home-ice presence as we did last year. Last year is last year, and we want to get that confidence going again.”
Winless (0-1-1) in their last two games, both at home, the Devils stand at .500, below which they dare not venture without the brass noticing. They were winless in three overall only once last season, and once on their home (25-11-3-2) slate.
“You can’t lose many games at home. It’s common sense,” Pat Burns said. “They’re hard enough to win on the road, you don’t want to lose at home.”
The Devils lost their last home game 3-2 to Tampa Saturday after tying Toronto 2-2 on Banner Night last Thursday.
* Burns said he expects Scott Stevens to play tonight despite the captain sitting out practice with a sore throat. Scott Niedermayer, who sat out Saturday with a back strain, said he’s ready to play. Scott Gomez left practice early yesterday with a slight groin pull . . . Turner Stevenson is skating on his own, ready to rejoin team for practice, perhaps this weekend. He has not played this season after undergoing a testicular procedure that appears to have been the cause of his groin injuries . . . Devs visit Pittsburgh Friday and play host to Bruins Saturday.