The ultimate No. 9 figures to be back to watch the Devils’ version of No. 9 again tomorrow. Gordie Howe saw plenty from Zach Parise last night.
Mr. Hockey, now 81, brought good fortune for Parise, who snapped his 12-game goal drought with a pair in the Devils’ 3-2 triumph over the Thrashers.
“Pretty cool. I heard the big ovation and saw him on the screen,” Parise said of the all-time great winger, the biggest reason No. 9 is so coveted in the NHL.
Parise’s first goals of December erased the Thrashers’ early lead, then provided the insurance New Jersey eventually needed.
The Devils, 13-2 in their last 15 at home, and 10-2 in 12 overall, rebounded from a loss for the sixth time in nine (6-2-1). Their 27th victory in 37 games improved their league-leading point percentage to .742.
And while the ship remained afloat during his drought, last season’s 45-goal man did not deny he felt the pressure.
“It definitely feels good to see those go in. I remember what a goal feels like,” said Parise, who still led the team during his drought, and now owns 17.
Parise bore his cross gracefully but was only half-kidding when he said, “Now [reporters] can stop talking about it. That’s the most important thing.”
Then Parise turned serious.
“I take a lot of pride in the way I play, and scoring goals. Of course it starts to bother you,” Parise said.
He scored his first goal since Nov. 28 with the quickness and second effort that are his trademark. New Jersey was trailing on Ilya Kovalchuk’s goal, when Niclas Bergfors kept a clearing attempt alive. Bergfors found Parise in the slot for the steer onto Johan Hedberg, and Parise darted to the crease to usher the rebound around Hedberg.
He might have had a hat trick, waving at New Jersey’s second goal, credited to Colin White. He wore the smile of the knowing in feigning ignorance.
Parise, the Devils’ leading goal-scorer the past two seasons, counted his second of the night 59 seconds into the third on a tic-tac-toe power play. Jamie Langenbrunner started the sequence with a slick entry pass through Pavel Kubina to Patrik Elias on left wing. Elias went cross ice to Parise in the right circle, and Parise had the open side, beating Hedberg’s glove for his team-leading 17th.
Marty Reasoner made it close for Atlanta at with 12:32 left when his left circle wrister went in off Martin Brodeur’s glove.
Martin Brodeur made his 23rd straight appearance and 16th straight start, with a back-to-back against powerhouses looming, hosting Pittsburgh tomorrow and visiting Chicago Thursday . . . Devs stand 57-24-2 record in calendar year 2009, tops in victories and 116 points . . . Atlanta has lost five straight (0-4-1) and had split prior pair with NJ this season, each winning at home, Atlanta 4-2 on Oct. 16, Jersey 5-4 Dec. 19.
The Devils’ No. 9 also been worn by Kirk Muller, Don Lever, Neal Broten and Bernie Nicholls, among others.
David Clarkson returned to Devils’ lineup after missing 13 games with a broken right fibula. After Andrew Peters passed him for team lead with 40 penalty minutes, courtesy a gamer for failing to tie down his jersey, Clarkson reclaimed his lead at 44 by winning a fight with Chris Thorburn. With activation of Clarkson, Devils returned Matt Corrente to Lowell . . . Thrashers scratched Anssi Salmela, whom they obtained from New Jersey for Niclas Havelid in March.