Devils Return to Top Form, Beat Penguins
From Associated Press
All the New Jersey Devils needed were a couple of days off to start looking like the team that went to the Stanley Cup finals the last two years.
Brian Rafalski and Pierre Dagenais each had a goal and an assist in a big second period that lifted the struggling Devils to a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at East Rutherford, N.J., Wednesday.
Bobby Holik and Jason Arnott also scored, and John Madden had two assists as the Devils returned from a three-day Christmas break and played one of their best games of the season.
“It’s easy to be focused after a couple of days off,” defenseman Colin White said. “You want to come back here. You are looking forward to it. When you come every day, you slack off for some reason. But when you come back, it seems everyone’s mind is on track.”
The Devils, who have struggled all season to get into a playoff position, were really sharp in their four-goal second period, when they took 21 of their 41 shots, and allowed Pittsburgh just five.
“I thought we played really well,” said Devil goalie Martin Brodeur, who had 20 saves in earning his second shutout of the season and 53rd career. “They had a little flurry early in the third period, but other than that they didn’t get much.
“It was nice to see the jump and the excitement of guys scoring and being happy about scoring.”
The four goals were the most by the Devils since getting that many against Detroit on Dec. 1. It marked only the seventh time in 35 games that New Jersey scored at least four.
Tampa Bay 1, Nashville 0--At Nashville, Kevin Weekes stopped 31 shots and got his second shutout this season and Fredrik Modin scored by deflecting in a shot by Brad Richards.
Florida 3, Atlanta 3--Olli Jokinen scored with 1:27 left in regulation to cap a three-goal third period for the Panthers at Atlanta. Jokinen’s goal, from a scramble in front, kept the Thrashers winless at home since Nov. 19.
Chicago 3, St. Louis 1--Tony Amonte’s power-play goal snapped a third-period tie and the Blackhawks beat the Blues at St. Louis. Amonte scored his 13th goal and first in six games at 1:16.
Carolina 4, Toronto 3--Martin Gelinas scored twice over the final seven minutes as the Hurricanes won at Raleigh, N.C. After Toronto captain Mats Sundin, who was severely cut near his right eye in the first period, scored his second of the game 28 seconds later to tie it, 3-3, Gelinas scored off a centering pass from Josef Vasicek with 3:17 left.
Boston 3, Ottawa 2--Jozef Stumpel scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period and John Grahame made 34 saves for the Bruins at Boston.
Buffalo 3, Montreal 1--Curtis Brown scored the go-ahead goal with 5:10 left and Mika Noronen made 15 saves as the Sabres won at Buffalo to end a four-game winless streak.
Edmonton 3, Calgary 2--Eric Brewer scored a power-play goal with less than five minutes remaining for the Oilers at Edmonton.
Philadelphia 4, Washington 1--Ruslan Fedotenko scored two goals and Dan McGillis had a goal and an assist for the Flyers at Washington. The Flyers won all four regular-season games against the Capitals by a combined score of 18-4.
