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Asham, Brodeur help Devils edge Senators

Feb 17, 2008 - 5:17 AM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- Arron Asham found his offensive touch and Martin Brodeur maintained his effectiveness in net.

Asham scored a pair of goals and Brodeur made 37 saves as the New Jersey Devils withstood a comeback attempt to post a 3-2 victory Saturday over the Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa Senators.

Zach Parise also scored and defenseman Paul Martin added two assists for the Devils, who recorded their second win in four days over the high-scoring Senators.

The victory was a satisfying one for New Jersey, which allowed a goal in the final minute of the third period before losing in a 10-round shootout to Atlanta on Friday.

"We stayed composed and didn't dwell on what happened to us last night up by the same score," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said. "We knew we had to bear down in the heat of the battle."

"Marty played real solid for us in the third period or we may have had the same result as last night," Devils center John Madden said.

With all the shots he faced in this one, Brodeur did not have time to reflect on Friday's disappointing loss.

"We were so busy today, we didn't think much about last night's game," the three-time Vezina Trophy winner said.

Goalless in his previous 22 games, Asham came alive at the right time for New Jersey, which improved to 3-0-1 in its last four contests.

"It's been a tough year for me personally to get on the scoreboard," Asham admitted. "It's very nice to come in here and score two goals. Not getting on the scoresheet has bothered me. Getting two goals tonight is a good confidence boost."

At 9:05 of the first period, Asham carried the puck down the right wing and unleashed a slap shot that goaltender Ray Emery stopped. The rebound came back to Asham, who attempted a pass from the right corner but watched the puck deflect off Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson and into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

"Arron Asham threw the puck at the net and got his own rebound," said Madden, who originally was credited with the goal. "He shot the puck right at me, but one of their players stuck his stick in and actually deflected it in."

Asham doubled the lead at 3:10 of the middle period, again streaking down the right wing and blasting a shot past Emery from just above the right faceoff circle. The tally completed Asham's sixth career two-goal performance.

Parise made it 3-0 during a power play at 7:44. After Alfredsson turned over the puck in his own zone, Brian Gionta made a pass from the left corner to Parise, who beat Emery with a wrist shot from the right circle for his 24th of the season.

The Senators refused to go quietly, however. All-Star Jason Spezza banged the puck into a vacant net with 3:23 remaining in the second after Brodeur and former Ottawa defenseman Karel Rachunek had a mishap behind the net while making a clearing attempt.

Chris Kelly drew the Senators within 3-2 at 12:53 of the third, as he lifted a backhander past Brodeur from the doorstep after Antoine Vermette's stuff attempt at the left goalpost was denied.

"We cycled the puck around well," Kelly said. "Vermette made a nice attempt from behind the net and the puck just came out to me. Fortunately, I was able to whack at i,t and it found a way into the net."

"Up 3-0, we felt we were in control, but again we let the other team back in it," Sutter said. "With their first goal, they got some momentum, but we felt fine in the third. Then both our defensemen got caught running around, and Ottawa got another goal."

But Ottawa was unable to get the equalizer as Brodeur stood tall, making a superb stop on blue-liner Wade Redden in the closing seconds.

"I was so busy those last minutes, with them throwing a lot of pucks at me," Brodeur said. "On that last shot (by Redden), I had a pretty clear view and it just went off my glove."

With the loss, the Senators fell to 2-5-1 in their last eight games.

"It's frustrating losing so often," Spezza said. "We don't seem to have enough energy or jump of late. It's up to us to find a way to get out of this."

Kelly believes a lack of discipline is one reason for the sudden slump.

"We have to stay out of the penalty box. It has hurt us every game in this stretch," he said. "Even tonight, the game-winning goal was on the power play. We need to simplify our game and play a full 60 minutes, not 30 or 40 minutes."