Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said that he is content to have a 1A/1B situation between Blackwood and Vanecek, who was acquired in a trade with Washington on Friday. 

Blackwood played a decent game until he got bested a couple of times in the third period which proved to be the difference in the end. Blackwood finished the season with a 9-10-4 record with a 3.39 goals-against average and .892 save percentage. 

Coach Lindy Ruff said last weekend that Blackwood would play on Tuesday and in Friday's season finale. He allowed five goals on 34 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss to Ottawa in his return to the lineup from a heel injury. Blackwood has a 9-9-4 record this season with a 3.36 GAA and .892 SV% in 24 appearances. 

Blackwood was looking at a regulation loss trailing 4-2 six-plus minutes into the third period, but Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sharangovich gave him a new lease on life with goals of their own, setting the stage for overtime. Alas, Blackwood just couldn't get it done in the extra period, giving up a Drake Batherson winner with under two minutes remaining in OT. This was Blackwood's first start since suffering a heel injury in mid-January.