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Rangers-Devils Preview

Oct 5, 2009 - 2:06 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

New York (1-1-0) at New Jersey (0-1-0), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Martin Brodeur's 1,000th career game wasn't his most memorable. The New Jersey Devils' offense was equally disappointing in the season opener.

Brodeur and the Devils will try to rebound Monday night and avoid their worst start in eight years when they host the New York Rangers.

Brodeur joined Patrick Roy as the only NHL goaltenders to play 1,000 games in Saturday night's season opener, but he gave up five goals on 27 shots as the Devils fell 5-2 to Philadelphia.

"It was a tough game," said Brodeur, who is 29 games played shy of tying Roy's league record for goalies. "I thought I was pretty good on a few (shots) and other ones I really wasn't there."

In Jacques Lemaire's first game back as coach, the Devils failed to score until 9:44 into the final period. After Brian Rolston's power-play goal, Jamie Langenbrunner added a short-handed tally. Dainius Zubrus assisted on both.

Brodeur has a 2.17 GAA versus New York since the start of the 2007-08 season, but is 1-6-3 in those games. New Jersey split six meetings against the Rangers last season, but backup Scott Clemmensen recorded all three wins while Brodeur recovered from left elbow surgery.

New Jersey has recorded at least one victory in its first two games of every season since a 0-3-1 start in 2001-02.

The Rangers (1-1-0) beat Ottawa 5-2 in their home debut Saturday night as their top line - Brandon Dubinsky, Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal - continued its strong start. After Prospal netted the game's first goal, Dubinsky scored twice, and the newly-acquired Gaborik had his second goal in as many games.

New York's other tally was 19-year-old rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto's first NHL goal.

"I felt a little bit more comfortable out there tonight getting the first one out of the way," Del Zotto said. "It was a great night overall and a night I will never forget."

Seeking an encore for a 2008-09 in which he scored a career-best 41 points, Dubinsky has four in his first two games. Gaborik, signed away from Minnesota in July, has three points for New York (1-1-0), which fell 3-2 in its season opener at Pittsburgh on Friday night.

"I think we just try to do a good job of working, trying to get each other the puck and trying to get open," Dubinsky said. "When you have the skill level our line does, you are going to get some goals."

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is 15-5-4 with a 1.80 GAA in his career against the Devils, but has lost his last two games in New Jersey including an 8-5 defeat Dec. 12 in which he tied a career worst for goals allowed.

While the Rangers' top line has come through at even strength, their power-play unit is 0 for 9.