#NJDevils PPG changed to Elias with assists to Havlat and Brunner.
— NHLDevilsPR (@NHLDevilsPR) November 19, 2014
It was Elias’ first goal in 18 games and, per NJ.com, snapped a career-high goalless streak of 17 games (the last such occurred from Oct. 17 to Nov. 26, 1998). The 37-year-old hadn’t scored since the season-opener on Oct. 9.
We’d written about Elias’ slump back when it was at 11 games, a drought the veteran winger admitted was gnawing away at him.
“It’s frustrating. For me, it is,” Elias said, per NorthJersey.com. “I’m getting chances. I can get a goal probably every game that I looked at it and that’s the way it goes. I don’t know. We’ve just got to keep going, creating chances. Hopefully, it will turn around.”
Frustration has been a central theme around New Jersey lately. The team has hit the skids since starting the year 6-3-2, obtaining just four of a possible 16 points over the last eight games.
What’s more, the Devils are currently in one of their toughest stretches of the season -- they play five of the next six on the road, including their current Western road swing through Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.