NHL

Did we just witness the end of Martin Brodeur?

It’s hard to think this may be the final time Martin Brodeur plays for the Devils, but if it were … goodness, the indignity.

With 6:35 gone by in the second period Monday night, Brodeur fell over his own feet as the puck trickled through his legs and over the goal line, boos raining down from those scattered about Prudential Center as the to-be Hall of Famer and career Devil laid on his back and stared toward the rafters.

Coach Pete DeBoer summoned Brodeur to the bench after that Brandon Pirri tip made it three goals on nine shots, and in came Cory Schneider, who stopped all 13 shots he saw and finished off a 6-3 victory over the utterly hapless Panthers, aided by the first career hat trick from Travis Zajac.

Even if the legacy of the 41-year-old Brodeur is secured in the history books, the final year of his contract has not exactly turned into a coronation.

“I felt bad for Marty because we didn’t play very well — we left him hanging there,” said Jaromir Jagr, fellow elder statesman who was again the best forward on the ice, notching a goal and three assists. “All the goals … wasn’t his goals. I understand coach wanted to make a change.”

The Devils were up 3-1 at the end of the first period, but the goal that got Brodeur pulled had cut their lead to 4-3, and put a scare into the team in a game they desperately needed to win.

“Marty is such a classy guy,” Jagr said. “He’s not only the best-ever goalie, he’s such a classy guy. I don’t think many goalies would take it the right way, and Marty did. And that’s why he’s one of a kind. That’s why he’s the best.”

The triumph got the Devils (32-28-15) within three points of the final wild-card playoff spot with three teams to leapfrog and seven games remaining, continuing Tuesday night in Buffalo. There are two sets of back-to-backs left — not including Tuesday — and only the season finale against the visiting first-place Bruins is against a team currently in playoff standing.

The original plan was for Schneider to start against the last-overall Sabres, and assuming that remains the case, DeBoer is not looking too far past that in terms of choosing who is in his nets.

“Goalie decisions are always tough, especially with the two guys we got,” DeBoer said. “But we’re at that time of year when we’re going to play whoever gives us the best chance to win.”

This night, after 26 minutes, that turned out to be Schneider. And if it means riding a hot goalie going forward, DeBoer would not elaborate.

“That means exactly what I said it means,” he said.

Ryane Clowe had a goal and two assists before being checked into the boards by Quinton Howden during the second period. Clowe, who has a long history of concussions, did not return. DeBoer had no update on his status.