What a pain in the groin!
New Jersey Devils: Nashville Predators take a bite out of third-string rookie Keith Appleby.
With both Cory Schneider and back-up Keith Kincaid suddenly nursing groin injuries, the Devils have recently turned to 22-year old Binghamton call-up Ken Appleby.
Making his NHL debut in relief of Kincaid last Saturday at Philadelphia, the Flyers peppered Newark's rookie with 24 shots on goal over what amounted to his first ever 46:04 minutes of big league action. But not a single shot found its way through as Appleby made all 24 saves.
Cory Schneider then started Tuesday against the Bruins at Boston. But after two periods, Appleby was again summoned into relief. He made another four saves in as many shots through 18:32 minutes in net - essentially making him a perfect 28/28 over the equivalent of a full game.
On Thursday, with family and friends in attendance, he made his first ever NHL start against the Nashville Predators at the Rock. In the first period, Appleby again successfully turned away Nashville's first ten shots on goal.
However, traffic lay ahead.
Midway into the second period P.K. Subban's notoriously heavy shot from the top of the left circle, and through a busy crease, found its mark. Then at 5:36 of the third, Mattias Ekholm likewise unloaded from the very same spot as Subban, and again through a congested crease area. Effectively screened, Ken Appleby never saw either shot.
He had a clear and up-close view of Viktor Arvidsson's short-handed breakaway attempt, though - a pointblank slap shot this time taken from the top of the right circle.
But again, Appleby never had a chance.
And so goes his first NHL start.
The very streaky Devils have now lost four in a row. Over that time, they have been outscored by a 3-12 margin, which includes getting shutout twice in their last three games.
That's not a goalie issue.
ART: Devil's Playground/Bushwick
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