Final
Parise snaps out of funk, helps Devils keep pace with Penguins
Mar 5, 2008 - 4:21 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Zach Parise picked a perfect time to snap out of his mini-slump.Parise scored twice and Martin Brodeur stopped 41 shots as the New Jersey Devils snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
It was a breakout game for Parise as well as the Devils. The team's leading scorer with 27 goals, Parise snapped a four-game goalless drought while helping New Jersey end its offensive woes.
Brian Gionta and David Clarkson also scored for the Devils, who had netted just four goals in their previous four games, going 1-2-1 in that span.
"It's definitely nice," Brodeur said of the support. "It's been a while since we scored more than one goal. When we score more than one goal, we have a chance to win the way we've been playing defensively."
Despite the offensive outburst, Clarkson credited the play of Brodeur for the win.
"Marty played unbelievable for us tonight," Clarkson said. "He made some huge saves to keep us in the game, and that's why we won tonight."
With the win, the Devils (38-23-6) remained one point behind Pittsburgh (38-23-7) for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh posted a 2-0 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
"One day you're in first, and then you're in fifth," Parise said. "It's going to come down to the last couple games."
Nik Antropov scored the lone tally for Toronto, which entered having won four of its previous five.
However, the combination of Parise, Gionta and Brodeur was too much for the Maple Leafs.
Parise opened the scoring at 11:22 of the first period, and Gionta doubled the lead with his sixth goal in his last 11 games 5:11 into the second. Gionta fought off a defenseman for rebound in the crease and shoveled a backhander past out-of-position goaltender Vesa Toskala for a 2-0 advantage.
"That was a really good goal," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said. "Putting pucks on the net and Brian was right there, battling."
Antropov gave the Maple Leafs life late in the second, when he halved the deficit with 3:13 remaining. Antropov tipped in a rebound from the left side of the crease for his 24th goal of the season.
That was all Toronto would manage, however, as Brodeur once again was stellar.
The reigning Vezina Trophy winner who has allowed two goals or less in eight of his last nine starts, Brodeur protected the one-goal lead until Clarkson created some breathing room with a one-timer off a feed from John Madden at 9:21 of the third.
"We had good chances to tie it up and they got an odd-man rush, and it took the sails right out from under us," Toronto center Matt Stajan said.
Parise then capped the scoring with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle off a pass from Patrik Elias with 9:08 remaining in the third.
Toskala made 21 saves for Toronto, which outshot New Jersey, 42-25, but remained six points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
"They started strong," Brodeur said. "We knew these guys were backs against the wall. They have got to win every game they play. We settled the storm early, and after that, we played a pretty good game."
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 1 1 2 4
TORONTO 0 1 0 1 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - ZACH PARISE 26 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 11:22
2ND PRD: NJD - (PP) BRIAN GIONTA 19 (JOHNNY ODUYA, SHELDON BROOKBANK)
5:11
TOR - NIK ANTROPOV 24 (TOMAS KABERLE, MATS SUNDIN) 16:47
3RD PRD: NJD - DAVID CLARKSON 8 (JOH
Mar 4 10:00 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 4
TORONTO 1
3RD PRD: NJD - ZACH PARISE 27 (PATRIK ELIAS, JAY PANDOLFO) 10:52
Devils 4, Maple Leafs 1 3rd - 9:08Mar 4 9:45 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 3
TORONTO 1
3RD PRD: NJD - DAVID CLARKSON 8 (JOHN MADDEN, SERGEI BRYLIN) 9:21
Devils 3, Maple Leafs 1 3rd - 10:39Mar 4 9:40 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 3
TORONTO 1
3RD PRD: NJD - (PP) BRIAN GIONTA 20 (JOHNNY ODUYA, SHELDON BROOKBANK)
5:11
Devils 3, Maple Leafs 1 3rd - 14:49Mar 4 9:36 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 1 1 2
TORONTO 0 1 1 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - ZACH PARISE 26 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 11:22
2ND PRD: NJD - (PP) BRIAN GIONTA 19 (DAINIUS ZUBRUS, SHELDON
BROOKBANK) 5:11
TOR - NIK ANTROPOV 24 (TOMAS KABERLE, MATS SUNDIN) 16:47
SHOTS ON GOAL:
Mar 4 9:06 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 2
TORONTO 1
2ND PRD: TOR - NIK ANTROPOV 24 (TOMAS KABERLE, MATS SUNDIN) 16:47
Devils 2, Maple Leafs 1 2nd - 3:13Mar 4 9:01 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 2
TORONTO 0
2ND PRD: NJD - (PP) BRIAN GIONTA 19 (DAINIUS ZUBRUS, SHELDON
BROOKBANK) 5:11
Devils 2, Maple Leafs 0 2nd - 14:49Mar 4 8:39 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 1 1
TORONTO 0 0 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - ZACH PARISE 26 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 11:22
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NJD 5 5
TOR 14 14
GOALIES: NJD - MARTIN BRODEUR
TOR - VES
Mar 4 8:13 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
TORONTO 0
1ST PRD: NJD - ZACH PARISE 26 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 11:22
Devils 1, Maple Leafs 0 1st - 8:38Mar 4 7:57 PM
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