MAPLE LEAFS at DEVILS Tonight 7:30 – Metro WABC (770 AM)

The six-game homestand from hell slogs on tonight when the Devils again host the Maple Leafs.

Yes, the Leafs, who just closed up Maple Leaf Gardens with an 6-2 embarrassing loss to Chicago Saturday, were just here nine days ago. They beat the Devils 3-2 in the opening game of the longest homestand of the season.

The Devs finally broke their Meadowlands woes Saturday night with a 6-4 win over Carolina but it was a sloppy triumph at best. The Devs had gone 0-4-1 in their last five at home before the Carolina win. They are 1-3 on the homestand that concludes Wednesday in a gimme against Tampa Bay.

The Devils had an optional practice yesterday in which three players showed up, including defenseman Kevin Dean, who may return after missing two games with a strained right knee. Patrik Elias, scratched against Carolina, and Sergei Brylin, who played his first game Saturday after being scratched eight straight.