the championship game, Zajac tallied a power-play goal to tie the game. Despite the loss, he was named to the Championship All-Tournament Team, as well as the NCAA East All-Tournament Team and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) All-Rookie Team. The following year, Zajac finished the season with 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points. That season, the Sioux featured several future NHL players, including Taylor Chorney, Brian Lee, T. J. Oshie, Chris Porter, Matt Smaby, Drew Stafford and Jonathan Toews. The Sioux won the Broadmoor Trophy as the WCHA playoff champion, and advanced once again to the NCAA tournament. After defeating the University of Michigan and Holy Cross, the Sioux were in the Frozen Four for the second-straight year, but lost to Boston College in the semifinals. Zajac scored three goals and three assists during the tournament, including two assists and a goal against Boston College. Professional New Jersey Devils (2006–2021) After North Dakota's season was over, Zajac signed an entry-level contract with the Devils, forgoing his last two seasons of college eligibility. He scored one assist and earned two penalty minutes in two appearances with the Devils' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Albany River Rats. Despite being considered to have an outside chance at making the Devils' roster out of training camp, Zajac survived the first round of cuts and eventually made it to the roster on opening night of the 2006–07 season. He scored his first career NHL goal in the second game of the season against the Dallas Stars. Zajac was placed on the Devils' second line with former North Dakota standout Zach Parise and veteran winger Jamie Langenbrunner. The line was dubbed "ZZ Pop(s)," owing to Zajac and Zach's initials and Langenbrunner's veteran status ("Pop(s)"). Zajac would miss two games in October due to a leg injury; as of the end of the 2010–11 season, they are the only two games Zajac had missed in his professional career. Zajac would net three assists against the Ottawa Senators in a November game. Midway through the season, to spark the Devils' offense, Zajac and Langenbrunner were placed on a line with then-captain Patrik Eliáš. Later in the season, Zajac notched his first NHL two-goal game against the Philadelphia Flyers, and had an eight-game point streak in late March. In addition, Zajac saw time on the power play unit, scoring six goals with the man advantage.