Devils Goalscoring Records: A 6-Pack Of 4-Goal Games

The New Jersey Devils' goalscoring records for a career and a single season with the club are easy to memorize. It's not so simple with the Devils' single-game scoring record, which involves a logjam of great names. The New Jersey Devils have had a whopping six players score four goals in one night, making for a six-way tie for the franchise's best single-game goalscoring mark. Here's the chronological list:

It was a different era, a different National Hockey League, and a Devils franchise that was still two time zones away from New Jersey as the Colorado Rockies. At 14:16 of the third period, the consistent sniper Bob MacMillan scored his fourth goal of the night against his former team the St. Louis Blues, assisted by Don Lever and Joe Micheletti. It capped off a perfect performance, as MacMillan finished the Rockies' 7-1 win over St. Louis with four goals on four shots. The club moved to New Jersey and adopted the Devils brand later in 1982.

Pat Verbeek scored four goals to give the New Jersey Devils a truly wild shootout win, scoring a hat trick extended by a game-winner with his 36th goal of the 1987-88 season against the Minnesota North Stars. The final score was 8-6, an uncommon tally against the NHL's old Norris Division. Verbeek's four goals in a single game set a New Jersey Devils franchise record at the time.

Devils forwards John Madden and Randy McKay joined in a history-making night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, heralding the turn of the century with feats never before seen in New Jersey's ice hockey history. Madden, a Selke trophy winner better known for his defensive acumen, scored his fourth of the game at 15:55 of the third period to cap off the Devils' astounding 9-0 win over the Pens. But that wasn't where the personal record-breaking (and team record tying) fun ended for the Devils' dynamic duo on that particular fall night.

Teammate Randy McKay remarkably matched Madden's feat with a four-goal game of his own in the same 9-0 massacre of Pittsburgh. The crafty right winger, who performed for over a decade with the Devils, scored two times in each of the first two periods, scoring his record-tying goal on the Penguins at 17:44 of the second period, on assists by Patrik Elias and Brian Rafalski. Elias was apparently watching McKay and taking down notes.

Patrik Elias also scored four goals in a lopsided 2003 game, accounting for two-thirds of the New Jersey Devils' offense against the New York Islanders in a 6-0 romp. Elias tipped in his fourth goal of the contest and 27th of the season at 14:11 of the third period, becoming the fifth New Jersey skater to score four goals in a single game. It's ironic that Elias did not score the winning goal against the Islanders that day. The Czech forward finished his loyal 18-year career with the franchise as the active record holder for most-winning-goals with 80 decisive lamp-lighters.

Devils forward Dainius Zubrus never scored as many as 20 goals in a single season for the East Coast franchise, but on one November night in 2008, his shots were unstoppable. Zubrus helped chase Olaf Kolzig away from the Tampa Bay Lightning's net in favor of GK Karri Ramo, then manufactured a fourth goal against Ramo at 14:38 of the third period to tie the club record.

Brian Gionta's season of nearly 50 goals-scored was also an anomaly in his usual production. Gionta was a consistent sniper and a hard-working checker for eight combined seasons with the New Jersey Devils and the Albany River Rats. However, the 5-foot-7 right winger had never scored half as many tallies as his 48-goal total in 2005-06 in a professional season, and after his eye-popping, franchise record-setting year, Gionta never scored more than 29 goals in one NHL season.

Gionta scored against the Montreal Canadiens at 17:18 of the third period to tally his 47th goal of the single season, and break Pat Verbeek's previous franchise record of 46 single-season goals in the final contest of the regular season. The goal's assist from veteran Scott Gomez gave Gomez 50 assists for that season. Later in the game, Gionta added a 48th goal to mark the record that still stands.

On Dec. 17, 2011, the legendary New Jersey Devils forward Elias fired a wrist shot past Montreal goaltender Carey Price at 1:31 of the third period to spark the Devils to a 5-3 win over the Habs. The goal stood as a winner, and added to Elias' ultimately record-setting number of winning goals for the franchise. More importantly, it gave Elias his 348th goal in the NHL and with the Devils, breaking a career club record formerly held by the 1990s-era skater John MacLean.

Elias' record is a wonder in many regards. The Czech forward was restless enough to play in Europe, even in professional leagues near his hometown, whenever the opportunity arose. Elias, however, never seriously considered leaving the Devils throughout a 20-year career with the franchise. It is regarded as one of pro hockey's milestones in its own right that all 408 goals Elias scored for the Devils are also his NHL career tally. Elias also scored 18 career goals for the Czech national team.

Will the New Jersey Devils see more team goalscoring records set in the near future? Probably not, due to the club's heavy European influence in the scientific era of NHL playbooks. Players like Elias set the standard as Devils skaters who didn't try to run up their own stats, always performing with the team in mind. It will take a very talented superstar to surpass the milestones set by such a seminal athlete, not to mention a modern-day pro who's willing to stick around a long time.