Move over Dubya. Ilya Kovalchuk is The Decider. Officially.
The Big Shot set the NHL record for most game-deciding goals in a season with his seventh in the Devils’ 1-0 shootout victory over the Avalanche at Prudential Center.
“It’s an extra point, so it’s important,” Kovalchuk said. “If I wouldn’t go first, I wouldn’t get the game-deciding goal. It’s nice that [coach] Pete [DeBoer] decided to let me go first.”
The Devils’ 11-3 shootout record is the signature of their season, and Kovalchuk’s 10-2 success rate is the John Hancock flourish that is much of that difference, helping make a playoff berth all-but-certain.
“I was never really good [at shootouts],” said Kovalchuk, 11-for-42 before this season. “Even this year I was struggling. I talked to Marty [Brodeur] and he told me what angles to take on goalies.”
Brodeur said a solid approach has helped Kovalchuk improve.
“A lot of skill, but you have to have a plan,” Brodeur said. “You can’t ad lib all your life. I helped him out with the way he wants to be skating towards the goalie.”
The Devils needed their shootout magic last night, because they weren’t going to win any other way, shut out for the second straight game and fourth time in 10. Their goal-less streak is now 130:49, blanked on 33 shots last night by J.S. Giguere, who stole the Conn Smythe Trophy from Brodeur in 2003.
Once the Devils went into the shootout, however, they didn’t miss. Kovalchuk and Zach Parise scored on their shots, and Brodeur added two more stops to the 28 he made during 65 minutes of play.
“Kovy gets in there and scores the first goal,” Brodeur said. “It’s nice to have that luxury.”
Kovalchuk swung left, then cut across the goalmouth, waiting until he was past Giguere to lift home the eventual winner.
“He was looking real tired,” Kovalchuk said. “He even pulled the veteran move [rebuckling loose straps]. I just wanted to make him move a little bit and it worked.”
Brodeur got his glove on Milan Hejduk’s shot, Parise snake-faked his way to a forehand goal, and Brodeur gloved Peter Mueller’s shot as New Jersey kept pace with Pittsburgh (four points ahead) and Philadelphia (two) in the Eastern Conference race.
“Marty gave them a little glove [side], and they were biting,” Kovalchuk said.
Brodeur notched his NHL record 118th career shutout, but said he would have been steaming if he didn’t win.
“If I would have lost this, I would have been, ‘That’s awful, to have a shutout and lose,’ ” Brodeur said. “When you shut down a team you should have a win, not a loss.”
The trademark of their season bailed them out again. That’s 11 extra points, in addition to four from overtime. Their signature is also their salvation.
The Devils play host to Penguins tomorrow afternoon then visit the Rangers Monday and Ottawa Tuesday. … Travis Zajac joined the team for its morning skate and may practice today. He was cleared Monday for full skating in second comeback from Aug. 18 Achilles tendon surgery. He has missed 63 games this season, including last 33, playing eight.