New Jersey Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood made history on
Sunday night in the team’s 2-1 victory at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The 23-year netminder stopped 27 out of the 28 shots he
faced to earn his first career National Hockey League victory, becoming the
first Devils goaltender to accomplish the feat since Martin Brodeur did it
almost 24 years ago on March 26, 1992.
The win comes off the back end of a home and home against
the Columbus Blue Jackets as the Devils rebounded Sunday night after falling to
the Blue Jackets 6-3 on Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio. With the victory the
Devils sit six points out of the final playoff spot with nine games remaining.
Wedgewood’s performance on Sunday came after finding out he
would be making his NHL debut about 18-hours earlier while sitting on the Albany
Devils team bus traveling back from Utica, New York after a victory against the
Utica Comets. Albany coach Rick Kowalsky told him he was being sent to the big
club and getting the start.
Wedgewood told the Associated Press, “I went to the back of the bus and tried to stay as calm as possible,
calling my family and getting some plans in motion. I got home at 12:00 and had
to take some Nyquil to fall to asleep. Then we made the trip here this morning.”
Wedgewood had his parents, two brothers and a sister-in-law in attendance to
watch his debut.
He added, “For a Long
time I had replayed this in my head, I felt like it was just another hockey
game. When it comes down to it I felt I belonged here. Those things helped me
to step in and stay calm.” Wedgewood received the call up after Keith
Kinkaid was struggling having to play every day after Cory Schneider went down
with a lower body injury.
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