By John Schweibacher
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The Devils' "tragic number" for elimination from the playoffs stands at three points missed by them or gained by the Buffalo Sabres as the week begins.

The last time New Jersey missed the post-season was back in 1995-96 when they were eliminated by the Ottawa Senators in their final game of the season. The last time the Devils played meaningless games after being eliminated from playoff contention was back at the end of the 1988-89 season. New Jersey was officially eliminated that year on March 22nd, 1989 after Philadelphia secured 4th place in the Patrick Division (in those days the top four teams in each of the four NHL divisions qualified for the playoffs) with a 3-2 win over Chicago which gave the Flyers a 13-point edge over the Devils, who had just six games left to play.

The Devils lack of goal-scoring has plagued them all season. New Jersey comes into the week last in the NHL with just 152 goals this season (not counting any shootout tallies) and will end up with the fewest in a full season in franchise history not counting the work-stoppage shortened 1994-95 campaign:

· 2010-11 152
· 1974-75 184 (as the K.C. Scouts)
· 1975-76 190 (as the K.C. Scouts)
· 2001-02 205
· 2007-08 206
· 1978-79 210 (as the Colorado Rockies)

Although it may come too late to help the Devils playoff push, Zach Parise is set to return to action for the first time since October 30th. Parise has missed 63 games after having to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Parise had four straight 30-plus goal seasons coming into 2010-11 before having his and perhaps New Jersey's season de-railed 10 games into John MacLean's head coaching stint.

Parise's story this season is also reminiscent of MacLean's back in 1991. Maclean was coming off three consecutive 40-plus goal seasons when he suffered a torn MCL in a pre-season game against the Islanders that October. MacLean needed reconstructive surgery on his right knee and missed the entire 1991-92 season. The Devils' all-time leading goal scorer returned the following season and scored 27 times. MacLean went on to tally 37 in 1993-94.

The 2010-11 New Jersey Devils come into the week with 51 second-half points with seven games remaining on the schedule. Thanks to MSG-Plus for this chart. The best second-half point totals for NHL clubs since 1995-96 when the NHL went to its current 82-game regular season schedule:

· 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings 70
· 2009-10 Washington Capitals 67
· 2005-06 Detroit Red Wings 65
· 2006-07 Pittsburgh Penguins 62

The Devils host the Islanders on Wednesday night at Prudential Center. It will be the final meeting of the season between the two local rivals. The Isles won the first two meetings; 2-0 back on November 26th at Nassau Coliseum and 5-1 at The Rock on December 23rd. New Jersey has won each of the last three contests; 5-2 back on January 17th and a 3-2 shootout victory March 6th both on Long Island as well as their 3-2 overtime win March 12th in Newark. The Devils have won seven of their last eight against the Islanders on home-ice.

While injuries have played a major part in the Devils struggles this season, the Islanders can certainly more than make that very same claim. Thanks to The Globe and Mail of Toronto for compiling this list, the five most and five least man-games lost to injuries among NHL teams this season (through games of 3/24):

Martin Brodeur will not lead NHL goaltenders in wins this season, something he has done nine times over the past 12 seasons. Here is a list of the goalies who have led the league in victories other than Brodeur since the 1997-98 season and where Brodeur finished among the NHL leaders:

· 2001-02 Dominik Hasek DET 41 Brodeur 38 (2nd)

· 2007-08 Evgeni Nabokov SJ 46 Brodeur 44 (2nd)

· 2008-09 Miika Kiprusoff CGY 45 Brodeur 19 (t/29th)

· 2010-11 Roberto Luongo Van 35 Brodeur 21 (t/21st)*

(*-totals through 3/27)

The Devils host the Flyers and Canadiens on back-to-back nights, Friday and Saturday at Prudential Center. New Jersey has gone two and three against Philadelphia this season, four of which came during the first half of the 2010-11 schedule.

The Devils have taken two of the three meetings from Montreal this season, winning both of the games played at the Bell Center but dropping the previous meeting in Newark, 5-1, back on December 2nd. The last time New Jersey failed to win at least one game in a season on home-ice against the Canadiens was back in 1989-90.

Schwei's Plus/Minus:

Minus: Goal Drought. Devils have been shut out three times in their last five games and have managed just five goals in their 1-4-1 skid.

Minus: More Goal Drought: New Jersey sets a dubious club record by now going 173:55 without scoring a goal.

Minus: Even More Goal Drought: Devils nearing franchise record for a goal-less streak of 185:44 from 11/27 to 12/ 4, 1974 when the team was in Kansas City.

Is the writing on the wall for New Jersey? Let us know what you think in the comments below...