NHL

ISLES’ GOAL SWITCH DOESN’T FOOL DEVS

The first big decision by the Islanders’ rookie coach didn’t exactly backfire, but it didn’t solve the Devils, either.

“It was probably the easiest decision I’ll have as a coach,” Scott Gordon said after pulling a surprise in his NHL coaching debut, starting Joey MacDonald in net instead of franchise goalie Rick DiPietro.

Zach Parise and Patrik Elias were the only Devils to dent MacDonald, but their goals were enough for a 2-1 victory in Newark last night in each team’s season opener.

Sources said that the Isles’ secret plan all along was to start DiPietro, coming back from hip and knee surgery, only once in this back-to-back, and they chose to save him for tonight’s Nassau opener against the Blues. Gordon would not promise DiPietro would start tonight, but secrecy seems his style.

The Devils, who went 2-5-1 against the Isles last season, produced a victory that was familiar stuff, relying on Martin Brodeur, who gloved away Kyle Okposo’s first-period penalty shot, and making their one-goal lead stand up for the final 39 minutes.

“It was a good win. There are spots where we can get better, but whether it’s 5-0 or 2-1, a win’s a win,” Parise said.

The Isles’ two big signings combined to open the scoring on the second shot Brodeur faced wearing his new “MB30” logo mask.

Mark Streit found Doug Weight at the right boards, and Weight’s power-play half-slap eluded Bill Guerin in the slot, but caromed off Devil defenseman Paul Martin and past Brodeur’s left leg 9:48 into play.

Parise, who led both teams at 4-3-7 in the eight games between them last year, squared the score at 12:49 with a power play goal. Martin’s left point shot hit David Clarkson in front and fell to the right flat, where Parise pounced for a backhand into the open side.

Brodeur gloved away Okposo’s penalty shot at 16:02, after Colin White tripped the Isles’ rookie on a breakaway.

The Devils’ top line connected for the lead 29 seconds into the second, Brian Rolston sending Brian Gionta up right wing to center to the goalmouth for Patrik Elias, who jabbed home his own rebound. Then the Devils and Brodeur shut the door.

“Has anything changed? I hope it hasn’t,” Rolston said after his first game with New Jersey since 1999. “We held on defensively, did a good job killing penalties.

“It’s the principles of how we play.”

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The Devils failed to sell out the opener, but the decent crowd was announced at 16,834. . . . The Isles have opened at home only four times (2-2) in their 36 seasons. They’ve started 32 times on the road (7-17-8), including their last nine straight (2-6-1). . . . The Devils were opening at home for the third time in 11 years, winning both previous.

mark.everson@nypost.com

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