Nov 21, 2007 - 11:47 PM
0 shoutsBy Chris Adamski PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - Zach Parise scored two power-play goals and Martin Brodeur picked up win No. 501 by stopping 25 shots as the New Jersey Devils edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1, on Wednesday night.
Jamie Langenbrunner assisted on both of Parise's tallies as the Devils (9-10-2) broke a tie with the Penguins (8-11-2) for last place in the Atlantic Division.
Parise gave the Devils a 1-0 lead when he scored on the power play with 5:10 left in the first period. Langenbrunner faked a shot from the point and fed Parise, who was to the left of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Parise then flipped it up over Fleury for his ninth goal of the season.
"You have to go upstairs on (Fleury) because he takes away everything down low," Parise said. "The guys did a really good job snapping it around on the power play, and Jamie made a good pass. I was just able to put it in."
Parise's second goal came at 2:33 of the third when he fired a shot from the right faceoff circle and into the net for a 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Brodeur, who picked up his 500th career win on Saturday against Philadelphia, made several key stops. He made one of his best saves during Pittsburgh's first power play midway through the second period.
While sprawled out along the ice, Petr Sykora flipped a wrist shot a few inches off the ice that landed in Brodeur's glove.
"Every time I'd go somewhere before a game, (500 wins) was brought up to me," Brodeur said. "Now that I've got it in the books, it's definitely nice. There are bigger and better things ahead. But that won't be for a while, so right now I can just play hockey and we can just try to get back on the right track."
Brodeur also stopped Sidney Crosby on a shorthanded breakaway late in the second period.
"He's phenomenal. What can you say?" Parise said. "Some of the saves he made were unbelievable. That's why he's the best, right there."
Evgeni Malkin halved the deficit at 2-1 off a Johnny Oduya giveaway right in front of the Devils' net. Malkin picked up the puck and beat Brodeur low to the stick side at 7:11 of the third period.
Malkin extended his scoring streak to 14 games, but Crosby had his scoring streak end at 19 games for the Penguins, who have lost six of their past seven.
Crosby had tallied 11 goals and 19 assists during his remarkable streak.
"(Crosby's scoring streak ending) was huge," New Jersey forward Jay Pandolfo said. "He still had a lot of chances, but you need some luck because he is an incredible player."
Pittsburgh had 30 seconds of a two-man advantage late in the third, but Brodeur and the Devils killed both penalties.
"The bounces aren't going our way," Crosby said. "We had tons of opportunities to get back in it and win it. It's frustrating. I can't sit here and say it's not, but at the same time there's nothing we can do but keep going, keep battling."
Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien was short and terse after the game with the media, leaving after only two questions were asked - both with the same answer.
"It is still early in the season," he said.
From the Bleachers
-
NEW JERSEY: 2
PITTSBURGH: 1
Final
Nov 21 9:56 PM -
NHL
NEW JERSEY 2
PITTSBURGH 1
3RD PRD: PIT - EVGENI MALKIN 8 (UNASSISTED) 7:11
Nov 21 9:31 PM -
NHL
NEW JERSEY 2
PITTSBURGH 0
3RD PRD: NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 8 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER, MIKE MOTTAU)
2:33
Nov 21 9:26 PM -
NEW JERSEY: 1
PITTSBURGH: 0
End of 2nd
Nov 21 9:03 PM -
NEW JERSEY: 1
PITTSBURGH: 0
End of 1st
Nov 21 8:12 PM -
NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
PITTSBURGH 0
1ST PRD: NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 7 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER, BRIAN GIONTA)
14:50
Nov 21 8:05 PM
