Devils open season at home Oct. 10

The New Jersey Devils open the 2008-2009 at home Friday, Oct. 10 against the New York Islanders at 7 p.m. The Devils then go on the road for four-consecutive games before returning home. Last year, the Devils played their first nine games on the road before opening at home at the end of October.

From newjerseydevils.com:

More than half of the team's home schedule – 23 of 41 games – will take place on the weekend: Eleven Fridays, seven Saturdays, and five Sundays. Other highlights on the home slate include five 1 p.m. matinees: Sun., Dec. 21 vs. Philadelphia; Sun., Feb 15 vs. San Jose; Sat., Feb. 28 vs. Florida; Sun., March 1 vs. Philadelphia, and the regular season-finale on Sat., April 11 vs. Carolina. The Wed., Oct. 29 contest vs. Toronto will feature a 7:30 p.m. faceoff, while the Sun., Jan. 4 game vs. Ottawa will start at 5 p.m. All remaining games are set for 7 p.m.

The Devils will host a season-high, five-game homestand from Feb. 7-15: Sat., Feb. 7 vs. Los Angeles; Mon., Feb. 9 vs the Rangers; Wed., Feb. 11 vs. the Islanders; Fri., Feb. 13 vs. Boston; and Sun., Feb. 15 vs. San Jose. New Jersey will play a season-high six-game road trip January 10-19, visiting Los Angeles, Anaheim, Vancouver, Columbus, Long Island, and Nashville.

Under the league's new scheduling matrix, each club will play every other club a minimum of once per season. Each team will play the teams in its division six times (three home, three road) for a total of 24 games. Each club will continue to play 40 games inside its conference, but outside its division, twice at home and twice on the road. The remaining 18 games will involve each team playing every team in the other conference at least once, home or away, with the three remaining games being devoted to interconference "at-large" scheduling.

New Jersey's three "at-large" opponents for 2008-09 are Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles.

The Devils will play five of nine October contests within the Atlantic Division, including two at home and three on the road. Following the season/home opener against the Islanders, New Jersey next hosts a divisional showdown against Philadelphia on Fri., Oct. 24. The team visits Pittsburgh for a 7:30 p.m. start on Sat., Oct. 11; the Rangers on Mon., Oct. 13; and Philadelphia on Sat., Oct. 25.

Seven of New Jersey's 13 games in November will pit the club against the Southeast, including four match-ups at Prudential Center. The Devils host Atlanta on Sat., Nov. 1; Tampa Bay on Wed., Nov. 5; Washington on Sat., Nov. 15; and Florida on Thurs., Nov. 20.

In December, the Devils hit the ice for a total of 14 games, including six against the Atlantic and six against the Northeast. After beginning the month on the road in Philadelphia and Montreal, New Jersey returns for a three-game homestand that features Pittsburgh on Wed., Dec. 10; the Rangers on Fri., Dec. 12; and Buffalo on Sat., Dec. 13.

A four-game homestand from Dec. 19-26 will bring Ottawa on Fri., Dec. 19; Philadelphia on Sun., Dec. 21; Boston on Tue., Dec. 23; and Pittsburgh on Fri., Dec. 26. The Devils will play a season-high four back-to-backs in December.

Of 26 total games in January and February, the Devils skate a combined eight games against clubs from the Central, Northwest, and Pacific Divisions. New Jersey plays just two divisional games in January: at Long Island on Sat., Jan. 17; and against Pittsburgh on Fri., Jan. 30. Three more divisional opponents follow in February: Mon., Feb. 9 against the Rangers; Wed., Feb. 11 against the Islanders; and Sat., Feb. 21 at Long Island.

Western clubs making visits to New Jersey this season also include Dallas on Wed., Oct. 22; Edmonton on Sun., Nov. 9; Colorado on Thurs., Feb. 26; Calgary on Tue., March 10; Phoenix on Thurs., March 12; Chicago on Tue., March 17; and Minnesota on Fri., March 20.

March provides five Atlantic Division contests, with the Devils battling Philadelphia on Sun., March 1; at the Islanders on Sat., March 7; at Philadelphia on Mon., March 23; and at the Rangers on Mon., March 30. The Devils face their final divisional foe on Wed., April 1 at Pittsburgh, and conclude the regular season on Sat., April 11 against Carolina.