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New Jersey Devils News: Cory Schneider Out At Least Two Weeks

By Kenneth Teape

Mar 4, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider (35) faces the Dallas Stars attack during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider (35) faces the Dallas Stars attack during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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New Jersey Devils News: All-Star goaltender Cory Schneider will not be on the ice for the Devils for at least the next two weeks as he nurses a right knee strain.

The New Jersey Devils are currently on the outside looking in on the NHL playoff race. They have a small chance of climbing back up the standings, as they currently have 69 points, which has them tied with the Carolina Hurricans and Ottawa Senators. They are six points out of a playoff spot, as the Detroit Red Wings sit in the last Wild Card spot with 75 points. The Philadelphia Flyers are also ahead of the Devils currently with 71 points.

Unfortunately for the Devils, things will not be getting easier in the immediate future for their chances of making a playoff push. That is because they will be without All-Star and starting goaltender Cory Schneider for at least the next two weeks. Schneider was diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain in his right knee.

Schneider hurt the knee in the third period of the Devils’ loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday night. The news was confirmed by head coach John Haynes after the Devils’ ugly 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night.

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The Devils were crushed by the Penguins Sunday, as Keith Kinkaid was peppered with 30 shot attempts, six of which he allowed past him. The Devils on the other hand managed only 18 shot attempts against Penguins’ backup goalie Matthew Murray. The 21-year old Murray was making his NHL debut, and it was a successful one as he came away with the victory.

As if playing without Schneider wasn’t going to be difficult enough, the Devils will get no breaks with their schedule. They will play four consecutive games against current playoff teams, starting with a three-game west coast trip. On that trip they will be going throughout California, paying visits to the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.

They will then return for a home date with the Minnesota Wild before playing a home-and-home with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That would be right around the two-week mark for when Schneider would re-evaluated by doctors to see if he is ready to return to the ice.

The Devils are certainly hoping that the results come back positive, because if their playoff chances aren’t already dead in the water they may be in the following two games. After the home-and-home with the Blue Jackets the Devils have an extremely difficult back-to-back set with a visit to the Penguins and a home game against the NHL’s best team in the Washington Capitals.

Next: New Jersey Devils Rumors: Ilya Kovalchuk To Return?

The loss of Schneider is a huge blow for the Devils, as he currently ranks fifth in the NHL in goals against average with 2.17 and tied for eighth in save percentage with Henrik Lundqvist at .923. In addition to Kinkaid, the Devils also called up Yann Danis from the Albany AHL team to serve as the backup.

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