The 2003–04 New Jersey Devils season was the team's 22nd season in the National Hockey League since the franchise relocated to New Jersey. The defending Stanley Cup champions, the Devils only allowed 164 goals, the lowest total ever allowed by a team under the 82-game season format. Like the 2001-02 NHL season, the Devils finished 6th in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The Team started the season really impressive, winning 17 of its first thirty games. However, in the 2004 calendar year, they were 24-19-4-1, causing them to finish 6th in the conference, 2nd in the division and lose to one of their their division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers in 5 games in the quarterfinals. They were also marred by injured defenseman Scott Stevens and Brian