Devils Dim Stars, 5-0

by: Melinda Quasius | Special to NY Sports Day | Thursday, October 23, 2008



NEWARK, NJ - The New Jersey Devils did not seem to miss two of their offensive stars Wednesday in a 5-0 route of Dallas. With Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik out with injuries, the Devils offense more than made up for their absence.

Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner wasted no time jumping on his former team, putting a goal past Marty Turco 1:59 into the game.

Langenbrunner took control of the puck behind the net and backhanded it past Turco for his first of the season.

Zach Parise made the play possible by occupying Dallas defenseman Trevor Daley just long enough for Langenbrunner to swipe the puck away. Linemate Travis Zajac was also credited with an assist.

“I don’t think we feel a lot of pressure other than what we put on ourselves,” Langenbrunner said about filling in for the injured players.

New Jersey controlled the puck effectively in the first period, not allowing Dallas’ first shot on goal until 10 minutes had passed.

The Stars created offensive pressure which forced New Jersey into a penalty at 10:10 in the first. The interference call was taken positively, though, because David Clarkson took down hated pest Sean Avery.

“He was doing it for the right reasons,” said coach Brent Sutter.

Fans in the Prudential Center cheered loudly every time Avery, formerly of Atlantic Division rival New York Rangers, was hit or made a mistake.

Last season, the NHL changed league rules because of Avery and his glove-waving face guarding of Devils goalie Martin Brodeur in Game 3 of the Devils-Rangers playoff series.

“When he was with the Rangers, it was a lot different,” Brodeur said of Avery. “(Tonight) he was just another player to stop.”

The Stars’ power play seemed to energize their offense, with Dallas firing five shots on goal before the end of the period.

Dallas’ best opportunity came with 3:36 left in the session. Mike Modano sent a pass ahead to Daley, who zoomed into the offensive zone and rifled a shot from the left circle.

“He made a good move. I got a little lucky,” Brodeur said.

The Devils took a 1-0 lead into the locker room, and never looked back.

Halfway through the second period, John Madden opened up the game with two goals in less than a minute.

His first came at 9:05 into the session. Madden, Paul Martin and Jay Pandolfo charged through the Dallas defense, and Martin passed to Madden in the center. Madden lifted the puck over Turco’s outstretched glove for his second goal of the season.

Just 48 seconds later, Brian Gionta made a cross-ice pass to Bryce Salvador near the left boards. Salvador fired a long shot on goal, and Turco made the stop but couldn’t control the rebound.

Madden picked up the puck in the left circle and slid it along the ice under Turco for his second tally of the game.

“On the first one, Paul Martin made a great pass and allowed me to skate to it,” Madden said.

After allowing three goals on 10 shots, the Stars pulled Turco in favor of Tobias Stephan.

In the other goal, Brodeur was facing lots of pressure from the Stars’ power play.

With 3:32 left in the second, Brodeur was tested by two close range shots. Backing into the goal, the four-time Vezina Trophy winner showed his skills by barely keeping the puck in front of the red line as several Stars crashed the net.

Referees reviewed the play and the no-goal held.

Dallas had another chance with under a minute left when B.J. Crombeen had a close-range opportunity. Brodeur stopped the puck, but the rebound got loose. The Devils were able to clear and hold onto the shutout heading into the intermission.

The Devils did not switch into conservative mode heading into the third period with a three-goal lead.

Dallas could not keep up with the New Jersey fire power, and surrendered back-to-back goals for the second period in a row.

Just under 10 minutes into the period, the Devils created a three-on-two opportunity when Zajac pushed the puck to Andy Greene just inside the blue line. Greene took a shot from the left circle, and Parise put the rebound in the back of the net.

Barely a minute later, Clarkson picked up the puck from Greene near the left blue line, skated his way to the center of the ice and riffled it past Stephan.

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, playing in his first NHL game after being called up Monday, received an assist on the play.

“He came in and did what we wanted him to do,” Sutter said of Letourneau-Leblond.

Brodeur stopped all 21 shots in the game, securing his 98th shutout, only five behind Terry Sawchuk’s record of 103.

“When you shutout a team, it’s not just about the goalie, it’s about the guys around him,” said Brodeur.

Both teams were 0 for 4 with a man advantage on the evening, and the Devils are now 5-1-0 on the season.

“It’s a good start, and that’s what it is, a start,” said Sutter, adding he’s proud of the players’ attitudes so far this season.

The Devils next face a home-and-home series with the Philadelphia Flyers, beginning Friday, 7 p.m., at the Prudential Center. Saturday’s game in Philadelphia is pushed back to a 4 p.m. start to accommodate the World Series.