Background
Pandolfo grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts and played hockey for Burlington High School, where he graduated in 1992.
Pandolfo grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts and played hockey for Burlington High School, where he graduated in 1992.
He spent most of his National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils before playing the 2011-2012 season with the New York Islanders and the 2012-2013 season with the Boston Bruins. This team went on to place fifth in the United States National tournament in Chicago. Pandolfo was drafted by the New Jersey Devils 32nd overall in the 1993 National Hockey League Entry Draft after his first season at Boston University.
Pandolfo would play three more seasons as a star player at BU. He played 133 games there, scoring 78 goals and 89 assists for 167 points.
lieutenant took Pandolfo two more seasons to become a regular with New Jersey, and his first full season in 1998-1999 has been his best to date, scoring 14 goals and 27 points in 70 games. His best playoff season was in 2003 when he scored 6 goals and 12 points in 24 games.
During the National Hockey League lockout in 2005 he was the assistant varsity coach for Burlington High School, in Burlington, Massachusetts. He served as one of four alternate captains for the Devils for the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 seasons.
On November 30, 2007, Pandolfo"s 307 consecutive games streak came to an end after suffering a pelvic injury when crashing into the boards in the Devils previous game.
He had the fourth longest streak in franchise history with Travis Zajac holding the record at more than 389 games. The day before the free agent signing period opened on June 30, 2010, the Devils parted ways with Pandolfo, placing him on waivers and then buying out his contract. On September 3, 2011, Pandolfo accepted an invite to the New York Islanders training camp on a tryout basis.
On October 4, 2011, Pandolfo signed with the Islanders for one-year.
During the 2011-2012 season on November 17, Pandolfo scored his 100th National Hockey League goal in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. On January 11, 2013, Pandolfo was invited to the Boston Bruins training camp on a pro tryout basis.
He practiced with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins and on February 17, 2013 he was called up to play against the Winnipeg Jets. He played 18 games for the Boston Bruins.
On December 6, 2013, Pandolfo announced his retirement.
Pandolfo runs a hockey camp in Andover, Massachusetts, along with former New Jersey Devils teammate Scott Gomez.
He was a member of the Burlington Hockey and Skating Association"s Massachusetts state champion team in 1989 for the Bantam age group. In his last season he led Hockey East in goals with 38 and was named to the National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American Team, as well as being named the Hockey East Player of the Year. Pandolfo won two Stanley Cups in New Jersey, 2000 and 2003. Pandolfo became a Frank J. Selke Trophy finalist for the first time following the 2006-2007 season. Pandolfo netted his first career National Hockey League hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a 6–1 Devils win on October 31, 2007, which was also the first ever hat trick at the Prudential Center.
