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Brodeur records fifth shutout of season

Dec 27, 2006 - 5:23 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The New Jersey Devils kept Sidney Crosby off the scoresheet again to get back in the win column.

Martin Brodeur grabbed a share of the league lead with his fifth shutout of the season as the Devils ended a three-game home losing streak with a 3-0 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Crosby took a career-best 10-game points streak out of the league's holiday break. But the NHL's leading scorer was held without a shot into the third period as Pittsburgh suffered its fourth straight loss.

"It was the kind of hockey we expected. You have to find ways to create offense," said Crosby, who had seven goals and 16 assists during his streak. "(The Devils are) tough, but we've played tough defensive teams before. We just have to find a way to create chances ... shoot the puck or pass it."

Crosby's only appearances on the scoresheet were a pair of second-period penalties, including a roughing minor for tangling with New Jersey tough guy Cam Janssen in front of the Pittsburgh bench.

It was the third time in four meetings this season that the Devils have held Crosby without a point. Detroit, Carolina and San Jose are the only other teams to do it even once.

"He's a very talented player, a very dangerous player," said New Jersey left wing Jay Pandolfo. "He goes about 100 miles an hour all game. That's what makes him so special."

Pandolfo and linemates John Madden and Sergei Brylin again had the responsibility of shadowing Crosby. That checking unit got some added satisfaction when Pandolfo put home a rebound with 4:02 to go in the third period to extend the Devils' lead to 2-0.

"Our No. 1 job is to try to keep other teams' top line from getting too many chances against us," Pandolfo said. "Obviously, being a hockey player, anytime you get a goal, you get satisfaction. It's a nice little reward."

Just two minutes later, Brian Gionta took a perfect cross-ice pass from Patrik Elias and finished off a 2-on-1 with a backhander to cap the scoring.

Travis Zajac opened the scoring 83 seconds into the second period for New Jersey, which has won seven of the last nine home meetings with the Penguins.

"Again, patience paid off," Devils coach Claude Julien said. "We got that second and third goal. But I felt like we were in pretty good control the whole game."

New Jersey had a pair of odd-man rushes during a scoreless first period in which it outshot Pittsburgh, 9-4. The Devils broke through early in the second when Zajac beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot for his eighth goal.

Crosby's best chance at a point came with just under six minutes to go in the second. He darted between two defenders to create a 2-on-1, then dished to Ryan Malone, whose shot glanced off the crossbar.

"We stuck to our game plan and made sure Crosby wasn't a big part of the game," said Brodeur, who grabbed sole possession of third place on the all-time list with his 85th career shutout.

"He's a world-class goalie," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "He was good, but we have to test him a bit more."

Brodeur preserved the shutout early in the third period, stopping a point-blank deflection by rookie Evgeni Malkin and getting his right arm on a rebound by Michel Ouellet during a power play.