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It took Anton Volchenkov 102 games to score his first Devils goal

Pittsburgh Penguins v New Jersey Devils

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 05: Anton Volchenkov #28 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates his first period goal wit teammates Ilya Kovalchuk #17 and Bryce Salvador #24 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Prudential Center on February 5, 2012 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

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Anton Volchenkov isn’t what you’d call an offensive defenseman by any stretch. In his ninth season he’s got just 16 goals in his career and now in his second season with the Devils, he had yet to score a goal.

Until today.

Volchenkov netted his first New Jersey goal this afternoon against the Penguins in his 102nd game with the team. As Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice notes, his teammates may have been more excited about this than he was. Case in point, Ilya Kovalchuk.

“I tried to find the puck right away so nobody would grab it,” Kovalchuk said. “It’s his first as a Devil and like I said to himl, ‘It will be the first of many.’ ...It’s definitely a monkey off his shoulder.”

Just what the red hot Devils need, another big Russian that can score.