• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brodeur, Devils set to face Canucks

Dec 18, 2007 - 2:59 PM New Jersey (18-12-3) at Vancouver (17-12-4) 10:00 pm EST

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) - Two of the NHL's best goaltenders may be on display when the New Jersey Devils make a rare trip to Vancouver on Tuesday.

The Devils have not visited the Canucks since suffering a 4-2 loss on December 29, 2001 and have not won in Vancouver since March 15, 1999.

New Jersey netminder Martin Brodeur has been impressive since recording his 500th career win, going 11-1-1 with a 1.68 goals-against average in his last 13 starts.

On the other end of the rink, Roberto Luongo has missed the previous four games with bruised ribs. He is just 4-13-0 with a 2.12 GAA in his career against New Jersey.

The 28-year-old Luongo has not faced Brodeur since blanking the Devils, 4-0, on January 27 as a member of the Florida Panthers. He made 22 saves in that contest to register his 100th career win.

If Luongo is unable to go, Curtis Sanford will likely get the nod again. Sanford is 4-2-1 with a 2.63 GAA this season.

New Jersey is coming off a key 4-2 triumph over the Atlantic Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. The victory gave the division-leading Devils a four-point cushion in the standings over both Philadelphia and the New York Rangers.

John Madden had two goals Sunday and passed up an opportunity for a hat trick late in the game when assisted on Jamie Langenbruner's empty net goal. Madden has 10 tallies and 21 points on the season.