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Pandolfo scores twice as Devils defeat Bruins

Apr 1, 2007 - 11:59 PM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Jay Pandolfo picked a great time to record his first multi-goal game of the season.

Pandolfo scored twice and Brian Gionta netted the game-winner as the Devils posted a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins.

Goaltender Martin Brodeur made 17 saves for the Devils (47-24-8), who took a one-point lead over the idle Pittsburgh Penguins (45-23-11) in the Atlantic Division.

New Jersey, winners in four of its last five games, moved into second place in the Eastern Conference, five points behind the idle Buffalo Sabres (50-21-7).

The Devils have three games remaining while the Sabres have four.

Brodeur registered his career-high 46th victory, leaving him one behind Bernie Parent's record for most victories in a season by a goaltender. Parent won 47 games with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1973-74.

Pandolfo gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 2:09 of the first period when he redirected Erik Rasmussen's pass past goaltender Tim Thomas.

"I just tried to get to the net as fast as I could, and Rasmussen was really patient with the puck and layed a perfect pass to me," Pandolfo said.

He capped his fifth career multi-goal game when he blasted a shot from the slot past Thomas for a 3-1 advantage at 14:18 of the third period.

"Johnny Madden gave me a good pass, Rasmussen backed up the defensemen and I kind of just cut in the middle and tried to get a quick shot off," Pandolfo said.

Gionta, who returned after missing 11 games with a groin injury, scored the eventual winner when he tipped in Zach Parise's rebound on the power play at 11:29 of the second period for a 2-1 lead.

"Zach made a great play," said Gionta, who leads the Devils with 25 goals. "He attacked and recognized that I was alone in front, and he was able to get positioning and put a good shot on. I was able to tip it."

"Gionta tipped the shot from the point off of my pad off and the post, and then it (the puck) just lied in the crease," Thomas said. "I didn't know where the puck was at."

Rookie Petr Kalus scored and Thomas made 21 saves for the Bruins, who will miss the playoffs for the second straight season.

Kalus, Boston's second-round pick in the 2005 draft, scored his third goal in his last four games at 8:11 of the second period on the power play when he one-timed a shot from the low slot over Brodeur's glove.

"He (Kalus) has been a very pleasant surprise and I really like the way he forechecks," Boston coach Dave Lewis said. "He's got speed to get in the offensive zone."

The Bruins have lost eight of their last last nine games and have scored just 12 goals in that span.