Final
Brodeur posts another shutout as Devils top Islanders
Dec 31, 2006 - 5:07 AM UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Rick DiPietro refused to allow a goal in his previous three home games. The New York Islanders have not been able to score one in their last two overall contests.DiPietro had his home shutout streak snapped 5 1/2 minutes into the game and Martin Brodeur posted his 86th career blanking as the New Jersey Devils skated to a 2-0 victory over the Islanders.
After posting three straight shutouts at Nassau Coliseum, DiPietro yielded a fluke tally by defenseman Brian Rafalski early in the first period to halt his scoreless stretch at 191 minutes, 3 seconds. The 2000 first overall pick had not allowed a goal at home since 19:17 of the third period against Florida on December 9.
"It was kind of a fluky goal," New York's Andy Hilbert said. "It's tough luck."
"There were two world-class goaltenders going at it tonight," New Jersey's Scott Gomez said. "The scored could have easily been 5-4, but Marty and Rick played outstanding. It was an exciting game at both ends."
The tally proved to be enough for Brodeur, who made nine saves in the first period and 10 in each of the final two sessions for his sixth shutout of the season. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner, who surpassed Glenn Hall for third place on the all-time list with a blanking against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, climbed within eight of tying Hall of Famer George Hainsworth (94) for second.
"They played well. They went to the net with a lot of screens and hit the post a couple of times," said Brodeur, who has recorded all 22 of New Jersey's wins this season. "I was definitely battling out there. When I didn't control the rebound, defensemen were right there. That makes a big difference."
Brodeur also managed to stop several shots the unconventional way - with his head.
"They hit me in the head a few times," he said. "Sean Hill got one that hit off somebody and Kozzy (Viktor Kozlov) hit me right in the melon. He also had one that hit off my shoulder and hit the crossbar."
The shutout was the second in a row posted against the Islanders. Ottawa recorded a 2-0 triumph over New York behind Ray Emery on Thursday.
"It's going to happen over the course of the season, regardless of what tean you are on," DiPietro said. "It's going to test our character as a team, how we bounce back. I'm confident with this group that we will bounce back. The goals will come. We have too many offensive guys here that can score. Maybe we'll get one off someone's skate or someone's butt and get things going."
"We need one of those dirty goals to go in off someone's pants or shin pads," New York's Andy Hilbert added. "That will knock down that wall and the floodgates will open."
Patrik Elias added an empty-netter with 10 seconds remaining for the Devils, who have won three straight.
"It's not like we dominated, but we got two points," Brodeur said.
DiPietro finished with 34 saves for the Islanders, who had their four-game home winning streak snapped.
Entering without a goal in 25 games, Rafalski lifted a shot toward the net from the right point. Recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League earlier in the day, defenseman Allan Rourke attempted to swat away the puck but instead had it deflect off his left glove and into the net at 5:21.
"I'll take it," said Rafalski, who has just two goals this season. "I just wanted to shoot on goal. Jay Pandolfo was in front. The puck was coming on to me. I wanted to get it on goal as quick as I could. It was on edge and fluttering up there."
"I was reaching," DiPietro said. "As I was coming down with the glove, the puck deflected over it. It was a strange bounce."
The Devils nursed the one-goal lead until late in the third, when Elias deposited the puck into an empty net for his 15th, a power-play tally.
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 1 0 1 2
NY ISLANDERS 0 0 0 0 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - BRIAN RAFALSKI 2 (JAY PANDOLFO, JOHN MADDEN) 5:21
2ND PRD: NONE
3RD PRD: NJD - (EN) PATRIK ELIAS 15 (UNASSISTED) 19:49
POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: NJD - 1 OF 4, NYI - 0 OF 3.
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOT
Dec 30 9:26 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 2
NY ISLANDERS 0
3RD PRD: NJD - (EN) PATRIK ELIAS 15 (UNASSISTED) 19:49
Devils vs. IslandersDec 30 9:25 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 1 0 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 0 0 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - BRIAN RAFALSKI 2 (JAY PANDOLFO, JOHN MADDEN) 5:21
2ND PRD: NONE
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NJD 10 8 18
NYI 9 10 19
GOALIES: NJD - MAR
Dec 30 8:33 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 1 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 0 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - BRIAN RAFALSKI 2 (JAY PANDOLFO, JOHN MADDEN) 5:21
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NJD 10 10
NYI 9 9
GOALIES: NJD - MARTIN BRODEUR
NY
Dec 30 7:42 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
NY ISLANDERS 0
1ST PRD: NJD - BRIAN RAFALSKI 2 (JAY PANDOLFO, JOHN MADDEN) 5:21
Devils vs. IslandersDec 30 7:17 PM
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