NHL

PATRIK DELIVERS

PITTSBURGH – The Devils’ biggest slumper broke his drought in the biggest way. Nearly a month after his last goal, Patrik Elias looked to the sky after his clutch winner last night lifted New Jersey out of the division cellar.

“Our confidence has come and gone, and to be able to do that after they tied it up, well, everybody’s going to go home feeling a lot better about ourselves,” goalie Kevin Weekes said.

“I was just, like, relaxed, and happy it went in,” former captain Elias said after scoring for the first time in 12 games, breaking a tie with 5:23 left in last night’s 3-2 victory over the nosediving Penguins here.

“Sometimes it’s hard not to get frustrated, but you want to stay with it and do well,” Elias said. “I was just happy because I thought we deserved to win.”

Lack of scoring, and particularly his, as the team’s six-time leader, has been one of the reasons the Devils struggled in the first fifth of the season. Now that his drought is done, Elias made light of what had been weighing heavily on him.

“Oh, that’s nothing,” Elias said of his 11-game zippo. “I’ve had 16 and 18 a couple of times.”

Elias converted a 3-on-2 pass from Brian Gionta after the Penguins had climbed back to tie from New Jersey’s 2-0 first-period lead.

“That’s a big goal,” Devils coach Brent Sutter said. “It’s good to see Patty scoring, and hopefully this will give him some confidence.”

Weekes played his part, superb in raising his Devils record to 2-0-1. Martin Brodeur is expected to have his second chance to become the NHL’s second member of the 500-win club when the Rangers make their first-ever visit to Newark tomorrow night.

Weekes was staked to a two-goal lead in the first on goals by Travis Zajac and Zach Parise. Zajac snapped his 10-game goal drought to open the scoring for New Jersey 4:40 into play on the game’s first shot. Parise found room in the left corner to feed Zajac in the circle, and Zajac fired between the legs of Dany Sabourin for his fourth.

Parise made it 2-0 on New Jersey’s third shot of the game, on their second power play, at 10:33.

That was the Devils’ first power-play goal of November, since Parise scored against Tampa Oct. 31, a drought of 20 chances over seven games, and five complete.

Another questionable Devils’ change decision helped Sidney Crosby solve Weekes 26 seconds into the second. Vitaly Vishnevski came out of the penalty box and went to the Devils bench while Pitt came up ice. Ryan Whitney sent Crosby up the left side and Crosby left a drop for Ryan Malone, then took the return behind Paul Martin. Crosby curled to the net and put his 10th of the year under Weekes.

Evgeni Malkin tied the game with 9:36 left as the Devils allowed a power-play goal against for the 15th of their 17 games.

Elias scored the winner off Gionta’s pass, after Penguin Georges Laraque’s feed from behind the net sent the Devils away. It was only the second game Elias has scored in this season, connecting twice Oct. 13.

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Jamie Langenbrunner said he’d make his season debut tomorrow against the Rangers if it was up to him alone. He underwent hernia surgery in September.

mark.everson@nypost.com