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Parise nets winner as Devils defeat Hurricanes

Mar 16, 2007 - 4:47 AM RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The New Jersey Devils have had trouble scoring lately, but received goals from two unlikely sources in an important victory.

Scott Gomez and Erik Rasmussen scored goals and Zach Parise netted the game-winner midway through the third period as the Devils posted a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Goaltender Martin Brodeur made 38 saves for the Devils (43-20-8), who remained two points behind the Buffalo Sabres for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and moved six points ahead of the idle Pittsburgh Penguins in the Atlantic Division.

"We needed this game and we responded well," Gomez said. "We didn't want to lose two in a row and we wanted to keep things going. "Tonight was a big game and the guys really stepped it up."

New Jersey entered with just 16 goals in its last seven contests but utilized timely goals and a big performance from Brodeur.

"Ultimately he (Brodeur) was the difference in the game," Carolina coach Peter Laviolette said. "You know who you are playing against and what he is capable of. He earned that team a win."

The Hurricanes outshot the Devils, 40-25, including a 23-6 edge in the final period, but Brodeur came up with big saves.

"I didn't know I was going to have to face so many shots in the third period," Brodeur said.

Brodeur, who leads the league with 42 victories and 12 shutouts, has won all three starts against Carolina this season, allowing just four goals.

"We keep things simple, it's important to keep things simple," Brodeur said. "That's one of our goals. We're fortunate that we're not fighting for our lives right now. Right now we've just got to play solid and keep our game together."

Gomez gave the Devils a 1-0 lead just 39 seconds into the first period to snap a 14-game goalless streak. He took a give-and-go pass from Jamie Langenbrunner and snapped a shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle past Carolina goaltender John Grahame.

"There was a miscue on the shot, and they went back the other way in transition and it was a tic-tac-toe play," Laviolette said.

Gomez has just 11 goals in 63 games this season after netting 33 in 82 contests last season. He also scored the deciding goal in a 4-0 win over the Hurricanes in the season opener on October 6.

Rasmussen halted a 34-game slump just 40 seconds into the third period when he banged in a rebound from the doorstep to give New Jersey a 2-1 lead.

Parise scored the eventual deciding goal at 8:09 of the third period when he took rookie Travis Zajac's pass in the slot and deked Grahame for a 3-1 advantage.

"The the last goal was unfortunate, I think, because it kind of took the wind out of our sails," Laviolette said.

Defenseman David Tanabe and Andrew Ladd both scored while Grahame made 22 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions (35-29-8), who remained tied with the New York Islanders for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 78 points.

Tanabe tied the game at 1-1 when he banged in a rebound past Brodeur at 8:46 of the first period.

"It felt great," said Tanabe, who has two goals in 50 games this season. "I've been really snaking it and really frustrated because I've had tons of scoring chances, at least two or three a game. To finally have one go in the back of the net felt really good."

The Hurricanes, who play at New Jersey on Sunday, are 2-5-1 in their last eight games.