Devils hot topic: Why has first goal been so important? Staff By Staff The Star-Ledger
on June 08, 2012 at 12:51 PM, updated June 08, 2012 at 1:06 PM
patrik-elias.JPGPatrik Elias and the Devils finally scored the first goal in a game this series, and it led to their first win.

The Devils have played 10 straight games in which the team that has scored first has gone on to win.

That's every game against the Rangers and every game against the Kings. And that's quite a bit different from New Jersey's series against Philadelphia, in which the team that scored first lost all five games.

Three of the four games in the Stanley Cup finals, the team that has trailed 1-0 has come back to tie the game at some point. And, in the Rangers series, three of the six games the team that didn't score first tied it at some point.

Still, 10 games in a row means it's a trend; scoring that first goal has proven at this point to be incredibly important. Admit it -- you'll be nervous Saturday night if L.A. takes a 1-0 lead because of the history behind scoring first.

How come the drastic change from earlier in the postseason where a 1-0 lead wasn't as important? Is it because the games have become more low-scoring? Is is it actually just a coincidence in your mind? Or is it a different reason entirely? Join the discussion in the comments section below.