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Madden, Parise lead Devils to second straight win

Nov 3, 2007 - 3:34 AM NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Once again, the so-called checking line of the New Jersey Devils helped lead the team to victory.

John Madden scored a shorthanded goal with 4:12 remaining in the third period to snap a tie and Zach Parise added some much-needed insurance less than two minutes later as the Devils skated to a 3-2 triumph Friday over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

David Clarkson also tallied and Martin Brodeur made 26 saves for New Jersey, which has won two in a row following a four-game slide.

"He played very, very well," Devils coach Brent Sutter said of Brodeur. "He gave ourselves a chance to get our act together in the third."

"It was a tough first two periods," Brodeur said. "Both teams had chances on the power play before we scored that shorthanded goal. I thought we played an excellent third period to come back and win."

On Wednesday, Jay Pandolfo recorded his first career hat trick and added an assist in a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay. Madden also scored a goal and set up three others in the rout as the duo gave the Devils an abundance of unexpected offense.

"They've been awesome," said New Jersey defenseman Andy Greene, who recorded an assist on Madden's tally Friday. "They've been leading the charge for us."

"Right now, they're hot," Brodeur added. "That goal (tonight) was really amazing."

One goal behind Pandolfo for the team lead, Madden pulled even with his linemate late in the third with his sixth of the season. With Sergei Brylin in the penalty box for hooking, Madden picked up the puck at his own blue line, skated around a defender in the neutral zone and unleashed a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle that beat goaltender Vesa Toskala to give New Jersey a 2-1 edge.

"I heard someone say, 'You have a step on them, keep going,'" Madden said. "So I just kept going. When I got past them, I looked up and had some room and just took what they gave me."

Just 97 seconds later, Parise's persistence gave the Devils a two-goal bulge.

From the right circle, Parise fired a shot that was stopped by Toskala. He got his own rebound and, after a stuff attempt was thwarted, poked in his second chance to open a 3-1 lead.

"I thought the first two periods, we were a team that (wasn't) doing enough things," Sutter said. "In the third period, we thought that if we were going to win, we were going to have to get into those areas and win some battles. Zach's goal was proof of how we have to play in the third."

The tally proved crucial as Toronto captain Mats Sundin banked the puck off defenseman Paul Martin and into the net from along the end boards during a power play with 32 seconds remaining, pulling the Maple Leafs within one.

Jason Blake recorded an assist on the play, giving him 300 career points.

Sundin's tally was just the Maple Leafs' third on 19 man-advantage opportunities over the last six games.

"I think we have guys capable of scoring goals, for sure," Toronto's Alex Steen said. "We need to work on it more, and when we're out there, we need to move the puck a little quicker."

Toronto did not get a chance to net the equalizer, however, as Brodeur went on to post his 498th victory.

Looking to win consecutive games for just the second time this season, New Jersey grabbed the lead with 5:43 remaining in the first period.

Clarkson outraced defenseman Andy Wozniewski down the right wing for the puck and gained possession in the faceoff circle. After deking Toskala, Clarkson slid the puck into a vacant net for his first goal of the season and a 1-0 advantage.

"It was a nice pass off the wall there (by defenseman Mike Mottau)," Clarkson said. "I was just in a foot race with them and kind of just going hard to the net. The goalie went down and I put it in on the backhand."

Brodeur received the second assist on the play, his first of the season.

"I fumbled the puck behind the net," the reigning Vezina Trophy winner said. "It hit my pad and I kind of overlooked a guy there and I made a pass to Motts and he made a great play. Clarkie made a great move to score."

The tally held up until midway through the second session as Toronto used a set play to break out of its zone and a great individual effort by Steen to forge a tie.

From behind the Maple Leafs' net, defenseman Tomas Kaberle banked a pass off the left wing boards to Jiri Tlusty in the neutral zone. The rookie carried across the blue line and pulled up in the left circle before dishing to Steen.

After undressing blue-liner Sheldon Brookbank, Steen glided across the top of the crease and sneaked a backhander under Brodeur's left pad and inside the right goalpost at 10:56 for his third of the campaign.

Despite his impressive effort, Steen was more upset about the loss.

"I don't think we need to talk about that right now," Steen said of his goal. "The main thing is, we let down in the third period. This is a tough (loss). I think we played hard through two and started the third all right.

"I thought we took a few penalties and got back on the power play and couldn't make it click. It's a tough one to swallow."