They’re going to ride Martin Brodeur again today, or more precisely, let Brodeur ride this Devils juggernaut.
After yesterday’s 7-2 rout of the visiting Panthers, coach Brent Sutter said Brodeur will make his third start in four days – following an absence of 50 games – when the Flyers visit Newark this afternoon.
He has faced a total of 41 shots, 17 yesterday, allowing just yesterday’s pair in winning both games of his comeback. Really, his Atlantic Division leaders are making his return from Nov. 6 elbow surgery a stroll through the roses.
And he’s stopping to sniff.
“It smells good,” Brodeur said after his 546th career victory, five short of Patrick Roy’s NHL record. “The guys are playing for each other and the enthusiasm of the hockey club is tremendous. I’ve seen it from afar. To be part of it is definitely nice.”
The Panthers may have been a team in turmoil, following the suspension of defenseman Nick Boynton for disciplinary reasons, but the Devils took full advantage, winning for the 16th time in their last 20.
It was a tour de force. Zach Parise scored their first two, taking over second place in the league with 38 goals. David Clarkson notched a Gordie Howe hat trick of a goal, assist and a fight. Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya each went plus-4.
The Devils cracked the 40-victory mark for the 12th straight season, longest current in the NHL, with the last four aided by shootout triumphs, 9-of-46 in 2005-06, 10-of-49 in 2006-07, 8-of-46 last season, and 5-of-40 this year. They won 48 without shootouts in 1997-98 and 2000-01. The Bruins (1969-80) won 40 games or more in 12 straight, without shootouts, behind Montreal’s record 13 (1971-83).
The victory also was New Jersey’s sixth straight at home, its longest such streak in two seasons in Newark.
Parise scored twice in the first, putting the Devils in front at 1:18, exploiting trade target Jay Bouwmeester, who had been on ice that entire span. Jamie Langenbrunner’s long cross-ice pass sprang Parise on left wing behind Bouwmeester, who still was a half-step behind and reaching when Parise jabbed his own rebound under the pads of Craig Anderson.
With his 38th at 16:53 of the first, Parise tied Stephane Richer (1992-93) and Patrik Elias (2003-04) for second-most by a Devils’ left wing, behind Elias’ 40 of 2000-01. Now just 10 behind Brian Gionta’s team record of 48 in 2005-06, Parise lost the puck as he tried to break through the Florida defense, but when Nathan Horton fumbled it at center ice, Parise was there to regain possession, race to the slot and shoot past Anderson’s glove.
Brendan Shanahan made it 3-0 at 3:51 of the second, following Clarkson’s hooked-off breakaway shot for his fourth in 15 games this season. Travis Zajac and Brian Rolston ended any doubt with goals 24 seconds apart.
Ville Peltonen ended Brodeur’s shutout streak at 139:33 – since Oct. 29 – at 18:30. Clarkson followed at 19:35 of the second with his 14th. In the third, McCabe added Florida’s second at 14:46 before Dainius Zubrus completed the scoring for New Jersey at 17:21.
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Mike Rupp sat out and Jay Pandolfo played, each for second straight. . . . Devils avenged a 4-0 loss in Florida Feb. 17. . . . Toronto’s Alexei Ponikarovsky was the last to score on Brodeur – aside from a shootout – at 10:25 of a 6-5 shootout loss to the Leafs Oct. 29.
Devils 7 Panthers 2