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DiPietro, Vasicek keep Brodeur stuck on 499 wins

Nov 17, 2007 - 4:52 AM By Joe Rizzo PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Rick DiPietro has turned the tables on the New Jersey Devils.

After losing to New Jersey six straight times last season, DiPietro made 26 saves for his second shutout of the season and 13th career to backstop the New York Islanders to a 1-0 victory over the Devils on Friday.

Josef Vasicek scored the lone goal for New York, which improved to 3-0-0 against New Jersey this season.

"It was nerve-racking watching it go back and forth at the end," Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "Ricky played a great, strong game. He played hard and played smart, and he made some great plays playing the puck."

"These are the kind of games you want to play on the road tight, low-scoring," DiPietro said. "We feel good about our road play."

After winning his first meeting with the Devils in 2006-07, DiPietro was in net for each of the Islanders' six straight losses in the series but was injured for the season finale in which Wade Dubielewicz won in a shootout to clinch a playoff berth for New York.

Vasicek scored for the third time in as many games against the Devils this season, netting a shorthanded goal 5:25 into the second period. Vasicek was on the forecheck when Devils defenseman Mike Mottau fell down in the right faceoff circle and lost the puck.

Vasicek gained possession, deked twice at the top of the crease and took a shot that deflected off Martin Brodeur's blocker, into the air, over the netminder and across the goal line for his team-leading seventh goal. He scored just six times in 63 games with Nashville and Carolina last season and has not reached seven since 2003-04, when he netted a career-high 19 with the Hurricanes.

"I didn't expect (Mottau) to fumble the puck like that," Vasicek said. "I don't know if he stepped in something or hit a rut in the ice. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time."

"Mistakes are going to be made, but I take full responsibility for that loss," Mottau said. "Unfortunately, that mistake was the decisive factor in the game. I hit a rut and went down on my backside. He had plenty of time to make a move. I can't remember the last time I fell down trying to make a move."

Despite making 24 saves, Brodeur was denied for the third straight time in an attempt at his 500th career win. He lost on the road to the Islanders on November 10th and at home to the New York Rangers on Wednesday.

"You create your own luck," said Brodeur, who fell to 5-10-1. "Just winning the next game what is it, three games now? When I go in there, I am used to winning. Now, I'm losing more than I am winning. It's not fun."

The Devils' next four games are on the road, increasing the likelihood the historic win will come away from the new Prudential Center.

"Regardless of who on the other team is chasing records, it's a division game on the road," DiPietro said. "He'll get it at some point."

With DiPietro's 99th career victory, the Islanders improved to 1-2-0 on their four-game road trip against Atlantic Division rivals, which concludes Monday against the Rangers.

DiPietro was not tested much early on but came up with a glove save on Zach Parise and a kick stop on defenseman Johnny Oduya in a short span midway through the third period. He gloved Oduya's one-timer from the high slot with 7:09 left, then 15 seconds later smothered Travis Zajac's wrist shot from between the circles.

"He's been great," Vasicek said of DiPietro. "He gives us a chance every night and gives us great confidence in ourselves. It was a 1-0 game, they played great defensively and Ricky made some game-saving saves."

In making seven saves in the first period, nine in the second and 10 in the third, DiPietro led the Islanders to the 499th road win in franchise history.

"When you have a stallion, you have to keep riding him," Nolan said of his goaltender, who has started 11 consecutive games.