Shootout heroes

The Devils nearly let one slip away tonight, giving up the tying goal on a 3-on-2 with just 1:47 in regulation. They were able to rebound, however, and beat the Buffalo Sabres, 2-1, in a shootout for their fifth consecutive home win.

Brian Gionta and Patrik Elias scored in the shootout, the Devils also won, 2-1. Ales Kotalik was the only Sabre to beat Martin Brodeur in the tiebreaker. The Devils are 3-1 in the shootout this season, including two wins over the Sabres in the last two weeks.  They also beat the Sabres, 2-1, in a shootout on Dec. 28 at Prudential Center.

"We stayed with it, our power-play produced," Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "It's always disappointing givingup a goal in the last (two) minutes of a hockey game, especially on a 3-on-2, but we found a way to win. All the points are big any way you look at it."

The Devils' power play produced a goal for the fourth game in a row after going scoreless in the previous five games.  Andy Greene scored his first goal since Oct. 6 (37 games) by moving in from the left point to take a cross-ice pass from Elias and rip it past Ryan Miller.

"(Elias) did all of the work," Greene said. "I just had to put it home there, back door. It was a great pass by Patrik."

Elias said it was a play they worked on in practice on Monday. "Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't," Elias said. "We talked about it and we want him to come down there for exactly that reason. Sometimes the winger falls asleep and it's a good opportunity. We timed it perfectly and he made a great shot also."

Brodeur appeared headed for his second consecutive shutout before Jason Pominville finished off the 3-on-2 to tie it. That ended Brodeur's shutout streak at 133 minutes and seven seconds.

Sutter said the odd-man rush was caused by Zach Parise and Travis Zajac being caught up ice. "Travis and Zach were caught in between," Sutter said. "Travis was caught in between in the middle of the ice and Zach let his man go along the boards."

Other tidbits from tonight's game:

**Elias scored on his frist shootout attempt of this season. Last season he scored on just two of his 11 shootout attempts and he had just one previous shootout winner in his career. He is 5-for-17 in his career in the shootout.

***Brodeur's best save of the night was a glove save on Kotalik from in front with 6:42 left in the second period. Thomas Vanek set it up with a pass from behind the net. "I got lucky a little bit," Brodeur said. "I saw the puck and I just waved my glove and he shot right into it."

**Brodeur also got a little lucky on Clarke MacArthur's shot in the shootout. MacArthur went first for the Sabres and took a slap shot from between the circles. Brodeur threw his glove up and got a piece of the puck, knocking it high in the air. Brodeur was turned to his left, thinking the puck had sailed harmlessly away, but it acutally landed to his right and a little behind and rolled a little before stopping outside the left post. "I was kind of playing it cool and then I took a replay and i was like, "whoo!"

**Sutter reunited the Arron Asham-Mike Rupp-David Clarkson for a few shifts in the first and second periods, particularly against the Sabres' physical fourth line of Andrew Peters, Adam Mair and Patrick Kaleta.

**The Devils have won 10 of their last 11 at home and are now 13-5 at the Rock. "We're starting to play really good here, which is good because we haven't been playing so well on the road lately," Brodeur said.

The Devils are 3-5-1 in their last nine on the road. They visit Carolina on Thursday and Buffalo on Saturday before playing 15 of their next 18 at Prudential Center.

Comments

[Jac]

Zach Parise is an extremley talented player, however he needs to start playing better. He needs to start putting pucks in the net like he did in the beginning of the season. Actually, his entire line really needs to step their game up.

[Jon]

Great For Elias to score the game winning shoot out goal and set up the only goal of the game, If hes got confidence the whole team will, SOME scary moments but once again Marty played Great, a solid win , KEEP IT UP !!!

[wkmaier]

Thought the team played well and should have had an easier win, but Buffalo is a good team and Miller is a good goalie.

[alzheimers]

Agreed on the Parise comment, Jac.

He seems to have caught a case of the Eliases, shooting high and wide every chance he gets and staring up in the rafters for answers. What he has to do is hustle a bit more for loose pucks, make a move instead of shooting from the top of the dots, and work his linemates into the play a bit more with give-n-gos and rebounds.

So, they're calling them the "Arc Welders" now. Hmph, it's no worse than the Egg line, I suppose. They do bring a lot of energy when they're on, and I think the big guys like Clarkson benefit from having more open ice. If they can learn to pass (Asham made a weak toss at the net that would have set up Rupp beautifully if it wasn't about 2mph near the end there) they might actually start to bring back memories of the Crash line.

[Jeff]

Well if Zac was looking to the rafters for answers he should have heard me screaming "hit the net" Langenbrunner is in one of his classic funks he goes from playing like a superstar to looking like a player that is just learning the game. I have noticed this ever since he came over to the Devils.

[Falcone]

Great comments about Zack. I totally agree. Zack, T-funk and Jamie need to start to read each other like they did last year and start to put the puck in the back of the net. Last year they were a force. This year, Zack's have a productive year, but the line isn't clicking.

At the same time, can we stop these wide shots. Its crap. I understand sometimes they're looking for a rebound or a tip, but come close to the f**kin net.

The Asham, Rupp and Clarkson line played ok last night. They definately have the size but I don't think they used their size last night. They didn't come on the ice and set a tone with checking every guy that touched the puck. I thought we needed something like that. At the same time, Aaron, can you pass the puck with some force? Your little girl pass sucked.

Overall I thought the game was piss poor. Wasn't a very good game, not intensity, no real quality shots. We need to step up our play and start acting like a first place team.

[MoonDragn]

Asham's pass was a one handed tip because he was held up by their defensemen. I'm surprised he even managed to hit it so of course it didn't have much force on it.

Still Rupp was out of position or he would have gotten that.

[Alex]

TG,

Could you please explain how (and when) the 3 stars of the game are picked? Is it a vote? In the two games between the Devils and the Sabres I couldn't understand how the players were picked... Sometimes the choices and the order make no sense to me.

Last night, Pominville scored to tie the game, but I still think Brodeur should be the 1st star (shutout going into last 2 minutes and won game in shootout). If Pominville's goal had been a game winner I would understand that decision, but the win was largely due to Brodeur's play. (I would've understood if Miller made the list as well). Likewise, in their last meeting how Miller got the 1st star as the loosing goalie makes no sense to me either...

I'd like to think that this has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a Devs fan and want Brodeur up there. It just doesn't make sense to me.

I was hoping you could explain who votes and at what point in the game?

Thanks!

[Sal from Garfield]

TG explained this after the Dec. 28th game...

3 Stars are voted by the attending media. It's not at the end of the game, but near the end. Judging by what happened yesterday, I'd say it's in the final few minutes. I'd assume OT and shootout have nothing (or very little) to do with it.

[Scott]

Our biggest problem is still in the defense corps. (Uduya plays 20 minutes?)
Except for Martin who is putting it together finally our d-men are average which forces our forwards to backcheck ALL THE TIME.
We need Redden. Offer anyone but Zach and Marty.

[Alex]

Thanks Sal.

I'm a long time Devs fan but new to this Blog. This blog has now become part of my daily routine. Thanks for the great info TG!

[Laura]

Speaking of shots flying high and wide, Gio seems to have caught onto that unfortunate pattern. It had to've been at least 5 or 6 times last night where he had a solid opportunity that he fired into the glass.

[RJ Arditti]

i thought the game looked pretty good actually, i liked the teams intensity, and their focus... if not for a late lapse marty would have had a shut out.

As for the comments about Parise, we all have to remember that he is drawing the oppositions best defenders each time out because he is our best offensive weapon so far this season. Hopefully with Elias re emerging in the second half(as he always does) this will take some focus off Parise and he will round back into form. also its a LOOOONNNNGGGG season, technically speaking from September until at the very earliest April, everyone is entitled to get a little tired here and there

[alzheimers]

I'm just glad FSN is televising the 3 stars again. Someone must be reading the boards!

[Jon]

Asham shanked his pass. if anyone has actually played hockey they'd understand that it happens more then you think it would....The guy knows how to make a pass so lay off him on that.