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Zubrus nets four goals as Devils dump Lightning

Nov 24, 2008 - 2:00 AM TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Dainius Zubrus scored four goals as the New Jersey Devils recorded the first five tallies of the game en route to a 7-3 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.

Zach Parise netted his team-leading 13th goal of the season, Brian Gionta scored for the fourth straight game and Michael Rupp also tallied as New Jersey cruised to its fourth consecutive victory.

Patrik Elias notched three assists, defenseman Anssi Salmela set up a pair of goals and Scott Clemmensen finished with 26 saves for the Devils.

Radim Vrbata and Martin St. Louis scored 92 seconds apart and Ryan Malone converted a penalty shot just over two minutes later for Tampa Bay, which fell to 2-5-3 in its last 10 games.

"I'd say again tonight it was a great effort by everybody outside of a few minutes there where we just got away from it," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said. "Other than that we were very solid right through."

Zubrus scored twice in both the second and third periods to become the first Devils player to record four goals in a game since October 29, 2000. John Madden and Randy McKay both accomplished the feat in a 9-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"I got chances," Zubrus said matter-of-factly. "Since I've played now with Brian Gionta and Patrik Elias, I've had more chances than I had before and they're going in. They made some good plays and they're smart enough where I don't think they're forcing things."

Entering the contest with just two goals, Zubrus scored twice in just over a 2 1/2-minute span in the second period to give the Devils a comfortable four-goal cushion.

Zubrus gave New Jersey a three-goal bulge after unleashing a slap shot past Olaf Kolzig just 1:58 into the second period. The Russian extended the advantage at 4:34 of the session after repeatedly swiping at a loose puck in the crease before finally slipping it past Kolzig for his fourth goal of the season.

After Gionta scored to lift New Jersey to a 5-0 lead, Vrbata and St. Louis tallied quickly and Malone beat Clemmensen just under the crossbar on a penalty shot to close the deficit to two goals at 5-3.

Zubrus then sealed the game after scoring on a breakaway 7:21 into the third and capped the scoring just over seven minutes later to seal the win.

"It was one of those where we just got a little sloppy," Zubrus said of the Lightning getting back in the game. "We turned a few pucks over in the neutral zone, so we got a little bit away from our game. The coach took a timeout and we addressed the same thing between periods and that's it. We know if we'd go back to our game, we were going to win, and that's what we did."

"You know, you get that next one (and) it's 5-4, it's a different game," St. Louis said. "We just got away from the way we want to play and it cost us the game."

Kolzig allowed five goals on 28 shots before being relieved by Karri Ramo, who was recalled from Norfolk of the American Hockey League prior to the game. Ramo turned aside 13 shots.

"He's a pro, the guys taken bullets for the team," Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet said of Kolzig. "Yeah, he had a couple of bad goals and he'll admit it, but still there was not a lot of grit in front of him, he's a pro. It's easy to blame Ollie."

"The first goal I think is the one I definitely have to have," Kolzig said. "I mean, the tip was up high enough and so we go down 1-0 right away and then it kind of puts guys on the back of their heels. I definitely needed to be better tonight, no question. There's three goals I should have had tonight. I really can't speak for anybody else."