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Parise nets Devils' first OT goal for 2-1 win

Jan 10, 2010 - 4:43 AM MONTREAL(AP) -- In the midst of their longest game, and certainly their busiest weekend ever, the New Jersey Devils put in a little extra time to earn a win in Montreal.

Zach Parise scored New Jersey's first overtime goal of the season and the Devils beat the Canadiens 2-1 on Saturday night.

Parise, who had gone to the bench for a new stick after breaking one in the Devils' zone, was left alone behind Montreal's defense and took Travis Zajac's long pass at the blue line.

"I was hiding along the side blue line, and luckily Travis won the battle when he did and they didn't have enough time to get back," said Parise, who drove in to put a backhander past Jaroslav Halak 2:38 into the extra period.

Zajac scored in the first, and Martin Brodeur made 29 saves for his NHL-record 585th career win. The Montreal native is 37-15-5 in 57 starts against the Canadiens.

"The stars can align as much as they want, but I think it's the reaction of people," Brodeur said. "I was making fun of my trainer, I said, 'It's a good thing you weren't looking at the scoreboard like you always do. You looked at the game and you got the stick for Zach,' and that was a big play for everybody."

Before the game, the Devils learned they will have to play for the third time in three nights on Sunday when their suspended game against Tampa Bay will be completed. The game was halted in the second period on Friday, with the Devils trailing 3-0, because lights in half the arena turned off and couldn't be turned on again.

"I think for us it's an opportunity to do something," said Brodeur, who was beaten on three of seven shots Friday. "I think everybody's going to be looking at us because it doesn't happen often that a game is replayed, or half a game is replayed later on, so I think as a team we know we're going to be there for 29 minutes so we might as well try to go for it and see what we can do."

Former Devils forward Scott Gomez scored a power-play goal in the second for the Canadiens, who have lost three of four.

It was the first time the Devils have played beyond regulation since Dec. 5. Each of New Jersey's six previous non-regulation games this season were decided by shootout.

Halak stopped 26 shots, including a spectacular pad save on Zajac in the third to keep the game tied.

"It's a good thing he didn't shoot it high because I probably wouldn't have stopped it," said Halak, who recorded his sixth career shutout - his second of the season - in Thursday's 2-0 win over Florida.

Brodeur played at the Bell Centre for the first time since March 14, when he tied Patrick Roy's NHL record of 551 regular-season wins in a 3-1 victory over the Canadiens.

"It seems like Marty always saves his best for when we come up to Montreal. He was awesome," Parise said. "He definitely kept us in the game."

New Jersey opened the scoring this time 4:07 in on Zajac's second goal in two completed games. Zajac, who scored in New Jersey's 4-0 win over Dallas on Tuesday, put a backhander through Halak's pads for his 11th goal.

"After the first goal they scored I knew I had to be better because it was a pretty weak goal," Halak said. "It's too bad we couldn't score in the third, but it's hockey and it's about goals. They scored two."

Gomez tied it at 1 during a power play 6:28 into the second period. He slapped home a puck that was loose in the crease after Roman Hamrlik's wrist shot from the point caromed off Brodeur's blocker and hit the right post.

Montreal recalled right winger Ryan White from Hamilton of the AHL on Saturday because Georges Laraque was unavailable because of an upper-body injury. Andrei Kostitsyn, who had already missed three games, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Friday and will be sidelined for six weeks.

NOTES: Devils D Mark Fraser had a spirited fight with Montreal's Travis Moen 12:58 in after he was checked into the boards. ... The Devils began what was originally scheduled as a five-game trip. After completing the suspended game on Sunday, New Jersey will play at the New York Rangers on Tuesday. ... Canadiens LW Sergei Kostitsyn was sidelined for a fifth game by a lower-body injury. D Ryan O'Byrne missed his fourth straight because of family matters.