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Shootout woes continue for Devils

Cory Schneider

As fans celebrate in the background, New Jersey Devils goalie Cory schneider reacts after giving up a goal to Colorado Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly during the shootout of the Avalanche’s 2-1 shootout victory in an NHL hockey game in Denver on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AP

The New Jersey Devils became the first team to fail to pick up a single shootout win over an entire season last year going 0-13 in the skills competition - to put that number in perspective, they missed the final playoff spot by just five points in 2013-14.

Following the season, general manager Lou Lamoriello attempted to shake off the the poor showing in the shootout saying “it’s not a focus”.

It may be just preseason, but the Devils once again failed to pick up a win in a shootout Friday night falling 3-2 to the New York Islanders following the breakaway competition.

Reid Boucher was lone Devil to score in the shootout Friday. He had one of the four goals in 45 chances in shootouts last season.

Adam Henrique and newcomer Martin Havlat both missed following Boucher failing to send the shootout to a fourth round.

“That was brutal by (Havlat) and Rico (Henrique),” Patrik Elias jokingly told Rich Chere of the Star-Ledger. “I told Bouch they’ve got to make the rule they have in international play so one guy can go three times.”

It appears Havlat, who was with the San Jose Sharks last season, has caught the shootout bug, which ails the Devils.

“It’s been a while, I think, since they won a shootout,” Havlat said. “I think we just have to get better and calm down. The shot I had was not good at all. It didn’t matter tonight, but it’s an important part of the game. It’s important to get those points. We need to win some shootouts this year for sure.”

For those keeping score, the Devils last won in a shootout during the regular season on Mar. 10, 2013 and are 0-17 in that span.

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