• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brodeur climbs pair of lists as Devils blank Flyers

Dec 9, 2006 - 3:14 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Martin Brodeur already has established himself as one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. He apparently does not want anyone to forget it.

Brodeur posted his 84th career shutout en route to his 462nd victory as the New Jersey Devils recorded a 2-0 triumph over the punchless Philadelphia Flyers.

With the blanking, Brodeur pulled even with Hall of Famer Glenn Hall for third place on the all-time list - 10 behind George Hainsworth - by making eight saves in both the first and third periods and another nine in the middle session. Terry Sawchuk holds the record with 103 shutouts.

"It's another win, another shutout," Brodeur said. "It's definitely nice to win that way."

"It was great to see Marty play great again," said Devils right wing Jamie Langenbrunner, who netted the game-winning goal. "He made some good saves for us, and that's key for us to be successful."

Just as impressive, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner and three-time Stanley Cup champion took sole possession of second on the wins list, snapping a tie with Florida's Ed Belfour. Patrick Roy, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last month, posted 551 career victories.

"(Belfour's) still playing, so for me, I can't let that be a big factor," Brodeur said. "You never know if he's going to jump in front of me. I'm right along with him and I'm happy. It's nie to be with him, and hopefully we're just going to move on and go further up (the list)."

"I think it's going to be one of those things when it's all said and done and this guy goes down as the greatest ever," New Jersey's Scott Gomez said of his teammate. "When it's all said and done, you're going to be like, 'You played with the best.' He definitely deserves it. The State of (New) Jersey's been lucky to have him."

The Flyers had a few good chances to beat Brodeur but were the victims of bad luck. Rookie Ryan Potulny's one-timer from the slot with 4:13 to go in the first period caromed off the right goalpost and across the crease before hitting the left post and deflecting out of harm's way.

"I just didn't see the shot," Brodeur admitted. "We were upset that they were able to get that great of a chance on us."

With 10:02 left in the second, Brodeur knocked away a rebound with his stick directly to Geoff Sanderson, whose shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle landed right in the goaltender's glove.

"It was a shot from the point that I didn't control real well and I kind of batted it out of the way and it went to his stick and he just shot it right away," Brodeur said. "It was just kind of a reaction (save). It shot right in my glove."

"He's a tough goalie to beat, but we felt that if we could have gotten one (there) and got a little momentum, I think we would have had a little confidence to get back in the game," Sanderson said.

Philadelphia, which had not played since a shootout loss at home to New Jersey on Saturday, was impressed but not in awe of Brodeur.

"He was solid when he had to be and we gave up two power-play goals against. That was kind of the difference in the game," said Flyers right wing Mike Knuble, who had his four-game goal-scoring streak snapped. "Niitty (Antero Niittymaki) was equally as solid. They just capitalized on the power play."

New Jersey's special teams provided all the offense as Langenbrunner scored a power-play goal 3 1/2 minutes into the game and Brian Gionta added a man-advantage tally midway through the second period. The Devils have scored at least one special-teams goal in each of their last five contests.

"We got pucks to the net and had traffic there," Gionta said. "It was a rebound goal on both of them, so it's important getting guys there."

Gionta added an assist for New Jersey, which has won seven straight home games and six consecutive meetings with Philadelphia.

Antero Niittymaki stopped 22 shots for the Flyers, who were blanked for the first time since their season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 5.

"Tonight was a step back," Niittymaki said. "We still had our chances, but we didn't score."

"I thought their goaltender was very good tonight," said Devils coach Claude Julien, whose team improved to 11-1-1 at home. "It's a win we needed. Obviously, heading out on the road, you want to build a little momentum. I thought we were able to do that tonight."

With Philadelphia defenseman Derian Hatcher serving an interference penalty, Niittymaki made a right pad save on Gionta's shot from the right circle. But the rebound went straight to Langenbrunner, who buried it from the left circle at 3:37 for his 10th goal.

"I think it was Gio who got the shot there, and the rebound just found its way to me," Langenbrunner said. "I was just trying to throw it back to the net."

Gionta doubled the lead with 8:12 remaining in the second, tapping the puck between Niittymaki's pads after the Finn made the save on Gomez's tip of defenseman Brian Rafalski's shot from the left point.

"It was just off the faceoff and went back to the D," Gionta said. "Raffy wristed it down, Gomez got a little bit of a tip on it and it was sitting right there between Niittymaki's legs."