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Gionta's shootout goal sends Devils to seventh straight win

Dec 3, 2007 - 7:34 AM By Joe Rizzo PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) - Being a television hockey junkie helped Martin Brodeur gain an extra point for the New Jersey Devils.

Brodeur denied NHL scoring leader Ilya Kovalchuk in a dramatic showdown in the final round of a shootout to make Brian Gionta's shootout goal stand up and give the Devils a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Sunday night.

After Zach Parise came up empty on the Devils' first shootout attempt, Gionta charged the net on the second attempt, deked and flipped a backhand shot over goaltender Johan Hedberg's right shoulder.

That set the stage for Brodeur, who stopped Vyacheslav Kozlov and Marian Hossa in the first two rounds. With the extra standings point on the line, Brodeur denied Kovalchuk.

"Back home, I have TSN (The Sports Network), so you get to see the shootouts all day long," Brodeur said. "I saw the move in Toronto (on October 23) where he scored on (the Maple Leafs' Vesa) Toskala. He tries to bring you across and get you out of the net. A little more and he might have gotten it."

"I thought he was going to move quick from post-to-post like he usually does," Kovalchuk said. "So I tried to go up like I scored vs. Toronto, but it didn't work. Next time, I'll do better."

Sergei Brylin had a goal and an assist and Brodeur made 23 saves for the Devils, whose seven-game winning streak is currently the longest in the NHL and the third-longest by any team this season.

"That's why they created shootouts, to see battles like that," Brylin said.

"You have the best goalie in the world out there, and he's great on breakaways," Gionta said. "So, it gives you a lot of confidence. Two dynamic guys - it's great for the fans."

Kovalchuk and linemate Todd White scored for the Thrashers, who lost for the fourth time in their last five games. Atlanta had been 4-0 this season after regulation, leaving Phoenix as the lone team without such a loss.

Kovalchuk netted his NHL-best 22nd goal to tie the game, 2-2, midway through the third period. After a turnover, Bryan Little rushed up the right wing and centered a puck to Kovalchuk, whose rocket slap shot from the top of the slot blew past Brodeur and into the top left corner of the net.

"That thing was (flaming)," Brodeur said. "I was hoping it would not hit me, because that must hurt, to stop a puck like that. That might have been one of the hardest shots I have ever seen. He stepped into it (and hit it) right on the sweet spot."

"(Kovalchuk is) so dangerous, he doesn't need much time to score goals," Devils center John Madden said. "He has the best shot in the league off the one-timer."

The Thrashers opened the scoring when White, from in front of the crease, deflected Tobias Enstrom's one-timer from the left faceoff dot past Brodeur. It was just Atlanta's second power-play goal in the last five games.

The Devils tied it at 1-1 with 51 seconds left in the opening period when Brylin blasted a slap shot from the slot past Hedberg for his third goal of the season and his first since November 3, a span of 12 games.

Madden's seventh goal of the season gave New Jersey a 2-1 lead with 4:14 left in the second period. Madden stormed down the middle of the ice toward the left goalpost, got behind defenseman Mark Popovic, and snapped in a pinpoint pass by defenseman Karel Rachunek, who rushed deep along the right wing.

Atlanta has played 16 road games, matching the Devils for most in the league. The Thrashers return home Wednesday to commence a run in which they play seven of their next nine at home - where they are 4-6-0 for eight points - tied with Phoenix for second-fewest in the league.

"You have to be satisfied, coming back and getting a point from a tough team in their building," Hedberg said.