Stars 2 – Devils 0
DALLAS – It’s eerie, even to the rational and non-superstitious.
Devils and their minions shouldn’t be jinxed by the number 13, which last night proved so strangely integral to ending the NHL’s longest unbeaten streak of the season.
Beaten for the first time in more than a month, the Devils admitted that the 2-0 loss to the Stars here hurt.
“We got a little stubborn about it, and that was a good thing, a real good thing. We hadn’t lost in 13, and you look around here and it’s like we lost a playoff game. That’s what makes the Devils special. We want to win every game,” Scott Gomez said. “Most teams would be pretty satisfied. Not here. We get spoiled and expect to win.”
They could have stretched it, the way they played, trailing 1-0 until the final minutes. It didn’t happen, and the coincidences of 13 were unavoidable.
The Devils are so spooked by that number that they have never allowed anyone to wear 13, and the triskaidekaphobics failed for the fifth time last night to break their team record unbeaten streak of 13 games. On a Friday, no less.
It gets stranger. Former teammate Bill Guerin – wearing that verboten No. 13 he couldn’t wear in New Jersey – scored the winner, then assisted on the clincher by another ex-Devil, Jason Arnott.
While the supernatural was overshadowing the Xs and Os, the Devils suffered a tangible and significant loss when Jamie Langenbrunner was sent back to New Jersey with an apparent left knee injury.
Playing his first game back in Dallas since being traded to the Devils by the Stars March 13, 2001, Langenbrunner flattened ex-teammate Mike Modano in the first with a blue-line body check, played another power-play shift, and did not return for the second period. He is doubtful for tomorrow’s visit to Colorado, where the Devils will conclude this four-game road trip.
The loss also ended the Devils’ reign as the NHL’s lone unbeaten road team this season, halting their team-record away start at 5-0-3. It was their first regular-season road loss in 16 games, since March 13.
Marty Turco delivered the Devils’ first zipping of 2003, since they were blanked by Ottawa 3-0 last Dec. 18.
Before last night, the Devils last lost Oct. 25 at the Meadowlands, when the Bruins scored four in the third for a 5-2 embarrassment. The Devils then outscored their next 13 foes 39-16, with four shutouts.
New Jersey benefited from video review when an apparent goal by Brenden Morrow was ruled to have been kicked in 1:34 into play.
But there was no reprieve when No. 13 connected on the power play at 10:16 of the second. Pierre Turgeon passed from the right corner to Guerin in the left circle for his 15th.
Arnott sealed the end of the streak by converting Guerin’s rebound after Colin White strangely threw the puck from his left corner to Morrow in front.
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Devils visit Avalanche tomorrow and return to Meadowlands to play host to Phoenix Tuesday and Caps Thursday. Devils and Marines will collect Toys for Tots at that Caps game Dec. 4 .