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Maple Leafs seek to break out of slump

Mar 2, 2007 - 3:35 PM Toronto (30-25-9) at New Jersey (40-18-6) 7:30 pm EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The Toronto Maple Leafs picked a bad time to go into a slump.

The Maple Leafs hope to get back on track when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Friday.

Toronto, which is 1-3-1 in its last five games, is ninth in the Eastern Conference, two points out of the last playoff spot. But the Maple Leafs are 6-2-1 in their last road contests.

Goaltender Andrew Raycroft has been pulled in his last two starts. Raycroft allowed four goals on 11 shots in a 6-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. However, he has been solid on the road, going 17-7-2 with a 2.72 goals-against average.

The Devils are second in the East, three points back of the Sabres. They are 4-1-0 in their last five, and have allowed just nine goals in that span. New Jersey has allowed 149 goals, tied the second-fewest in the NHL with the Dallas Stars.

Martin Brodeur is 4-1-0 in his last five starts with just seven goals allowed. He has two shutouts in that span. Brodeur made 31 saves in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

Brodeur leads the NHL with 39 wins and 12 shutouts. He is second with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.