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Raycroft, Maple Leafs edge Devils

Mar 21, 2007 - 5:42 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Goaltender Andrew Raycroft and the Toronto Maple Leafs have thrust themselves right in the middle of a muddled Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Raycroft was just a little better than Martin Brodeur and the Maple Leafs played with a little more desperation than the New Jersey Devils in a 2-1 victory.

While the Devils were looking for their fourth straight road win to gain ground on the Buffalo Sabres in the race for the top spot in the East, the Maple Leafs were fighting for their playoff lives.

Kyle Wellwood gave Toronto a 1-0 lead with a goal with just 1:27 left in the first period.

"It was a big win for us. I thought the energy was there tonight," Toronto coach Paul Maurice said. "It was important to get that first goal. Both goaltenders played very well and I thought we were really good defensively."

Nik Antropov extended the lead to 2-0 just over six minutes into the third period but Travis Zajac scored 40 seconds later for New Jersey to make it 2-1.

The Devils were not able to beat Raycroft again and the Maple Leafs pulled into a tie for the final playoff spot with Montreal and Carolina with 80 points.

Raycroft made 24 saves for the Maple Leafs, who have won four straight at the Air Canada Centre.

"It was a good game and we're happy about the win," Raycroft said. "Every night we win it's going to be a huge win and when we lose it's going to be a huge loss at this point."

Brodeur had 23 saves for the Devils, who have a two-point lead over Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Division.

"Especially this time of year, when you do play well in a bounce-back game for us you'd like to get some points," Brodeur said. "I think it was a big improvement. The last two games we've been outplayed. Today I thought we did a great job.

"We had some great chances, we hit the post a few times, but it wasn't meant to be. We had a pretty good lead on the division, but we're still in the driver's seat here."

Toronto center Mats Sundin had a pair of assists, giving him 900 career points as a Maple Leaf.

"It's nice to see that, for the last couple of weeks, we're playing good hockey at home," Sundin said. "The Devils are a tough team to play whether they're down a goal or up one. They don't change their game, they don't give a lot of chances.

"I thought we played a really good patient game the whole night and Andrew made the saves when we needed them."