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Parise scores twice as Devils top Islanders

Jan 5, 2007 - 6:52 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur played major roles in extending the New York Islanders' losing streak.

Parise scored a pair of goals and Brodeur made 40 saves as the New Jersey Devils posted a 4-3 victory over the Islanders, who have dropped five in a row.

Entering with just three goals during their skid, the Islanders fell behind just 1:57 into the game on Parise's first tally of the game. Sergei Brylin doubled the Devils' lead 15 seconds later before New York got on the board behind Trent Hunter 45 seconds afterward.

Play settled down for a while before Parise completed his third two-goal effort of the season with seven minutes to go in the first period.

"He's given us some huge goals this year," Devils coach Claude Julien said. "He probably has been as consistent as any player on this team, if not the most consistent. He has had a good, strong start and has been building on it. He is very impressive for a second-year player."

Rookie Travis Zajac assisted on both of Parise's tallies for his fourth multi-point performance.

"I think he has been pretty consistent since the first day of training camp," Julien said. "What has been most impressive is his consistency. He has great hockey sense and seems never to be out of position. I think he has fit in very well with this hockey club."

Patrik Elias also scored and Brodeur stopped 17 shots in the third session for the Devils, who have earned at least one point in five straight at home (3-0-2) and improved to 14-3-3 overall this season at Continental Airlines Arena.

Hunter also set up a goal and Andy Hilbert and Mike Sillinger each had a tally and an assist for the Islanders, who fell to 1-17-0 when trailing after two periods.

"We generated enough opportunities, but when you go against a goalie like Brodeur, you need some lucky breaks," New York coach Ted Nolan said.

"All teams go through this," Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro said of his team's skid. "You saw the Rangers go through it (with seven straight losses). We are stuck in a little bit of a rut right now."

Following a turnover by the Islanders, the puck found its way to Parise, who turned to face DiPietro and put a backhander past the netminder from in front for his 15th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

"Travis hit it to me at the last second," Parise said. "I don't think DiPietro was ready for it either. I wasn't ready for it, but I tried to make a move with the little time I had."

"(It) was a bad bounce," said Islanders defenseman Tom Poti, who committed the turnover. "I did not get the bounce off their guy's stick over to our guys. It went right to (Parise's) stick. ... These stupid little things happen when you are down and out like this on a bad streak."

After the ensuing faceoff, Brylin made it a two-goal advantage by beating DiPietro from the inner edge of the left circle. But Hunter halved the deficit moments later, redirecting defenseman Sean Hill's one-timer from the right point by Brodeur for his sixth tally.

Parise gave New Jersey a 3-1 lead with a goal from the slot later in the opening session and Elias netted his third tally in four games at 4:10 of second, beating DiPietro between the pads from the bottom of the right circle.

"Gio (Brian Gionta) moved the puck quickly to me, and I am trying to pass it back to the point," Elias said. "There was nothing there. I hestitated looking towards the high slot and I shot it at the last second. It found enough space to go in."

"(It) was a bad goal," said DiPietro, who made 22 saves. "New Jersey preys on turnovers and defensive mistakes."

Hilbert ended an eight-game drought with 8:51 remaining in the period and Sillinger made it a one-goal game with a backhander from in front during a power play with 20 seconds left in the third.

"These are those types of games where you take the win and the two points," Julien said. "You could tell from the start it wasn't going to be over until the final buzzer."