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Devils try to move into a tie for top spot in East

Mar 14, 2007 - 12:50 PM Pittsburgh (38-21-10) at New Jersey (42-19-8) 7:30 pm EDT

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The New Jersey Devils can move into a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

The Devils look to build on their six-point advantage over the Penguins in the Atlantic Division and pull even with the Sabres (94 points).

New Jersey has won five of seven meetings with the Penguins this season, including a 4-3 shootout victory last Thursday. Sergei Brylin scored in regulation and notched the decisive tally in the shootout for the Devils, who have won two straight games after losing their previous three.

The Devils have done a solid job of limiting league-leading scorer Sidney Crosby, who has two goals and three assists in five games against the Devils this season.

But the rest of the league has had trouble containing Crosby, who has 74 assists and 103 points. He had a goal and two assists in a 5-4 shootout victory over the Sabres on Tuesday.

Another reason the Devils have had success against the Penguins has been the play of goaltender Martin Brodeur. The veteran netminder leads the league with 41 victories and is 5-2-0 with a 2.13 goals-against average and two shutouts vs. the Penguins.

Brodeur made 26 saves in a 3-0 win over Pittsburgh on December 26 and stopped 31 shots in a 1-0 victory over the Penguins on February 27.