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Parise nets shootout winner as Brodeur, Devils beat Sabres

Dec 29, 2007 - 4:43 AM NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The goaltending duel between Ryan Miller and Martin Brodeur couldn't be decided until a shootout, where the New Jersey Devils goaltender stood the tallest.

Zach Parise netted the lone goal in the shootout as Brodeur stopped all three Buffalo Sabres attempts, leading the Devils to a 2-1 victory on Friday.

Mike Mottau scored his second goal of the season for the Devils, who have won seven of their last eight at home and three straight contests overall.

But the story was the goaltenders, who each made key saves to keep the game close during regulation.

"There were big saves by Marty," Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "He was very, very good tonight."

Miller made 34 saves - including one on a penalty shot of Aaron Asham late in the first period, while Brodeur stopped 26 shots for career win No. 513.

With the game tied after the five-minute overtime, Buffalo's Ales Kotalik - who scored the Sabres' lone goal of the game - was stopped by Brodeur to start the shootout. Parise was the first shooter for the Devils and his wrist shot rang off the left post and in to beat Miller.

"I expected him to go blocker side," Miller said. "I just missed it. I got out on him, just enough to try and change his mind. He changed his angle and made a great shot."

Brodeur then stopped Tim Connolly and after Miller kept Buffalo alive with a save on Brian Gionta, Brodeur denied left wing Thomas Vanek's wrist shot to give the Devils the win.

"Guys came on the right side trying to make me move and open up on my glove side," Brodeur said. "I was giving it to them early and I took it away on that last shot. (Vanek) took a slapper, I tried to stay compact and he hit my glove."

Brodeur has allowed one goal or less - including his 95th career shutout on Sunday - during New Jersey's three-game winning streak, while the offense has scored only five goals in regulation over that span.

After being outshot, 13-2, in the first period, Buffalo struck first early in the second.

Kotalik received the puck along the right boards from Paul Gaustad and fired a slap shot that just went inside the left post, beating Devils Brodeur for a 1-0 lead at 4:36 of the middle period.

Miller made the one-goal lead stand up until late in the third period when New Jersey tied the game. Colin White's slap shot from the left point went wide, but the puck bounced right to Mottau on the weak side, and the defenseman shoveled the puck past Miller, who couldn't recover quick enough to the right post. Mottau's tally made the score, 1-1, with 6:23 left in the game.

"Mottau was lower than most defensemen would be on that play," Miller said. "He knows his boards and knew he could get an advantage. He got a nice bounce."

"(Colin) White got it through and put it short side," Mottau said. "I whacked it in on the back hand. It was a good break for us."

The loss was the second straight for the Sabres, who had their four-game road winning streak snapped.