Live post: Elias and Parise lead Devils to 5-1 win

Patrik Elias had two goals and two assists and Zach Parise had four assists to lead the Devils to a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators.

The win was the Devils' 11th in their last 14 games (11-2-1)

Parise was originally credited with the Devils' fourth goal, which came with 7:51 left in the third period, but told the officials he never touched the puck and the goal was changed to Travis Zajac, who had tipped a pass from Jamie Langenbrunner on net. Zajac had a goal and an assist in the game.

Elias completed the scoring by chipping a Parise pass past goaltender Alex Auld for a power-play goal -- the Devils' third of the night - with 5:21 left.

Elias' power-play goal with 53.8 seconds left in the second period increased the Devils' lead  to 3-1.

Elias lifted home the rebound of Zach Parise's right circle shot for his 14th goal of the season.

Elias also has two assists tonight for the 169th multi-point game of his career, tying him with John MacLean for the most in team history.

***

Jarkko Ruutu's shorthanded goal at 8:37 of the second period had cut the Devils' lead to 2-1.

It was the first shorthanded goal the Devils have allowed this season.

Ruutu chipped the puck past Jamie Langenbrunner at the left point in the Ottawa zone to start a 2-on-1 rush with Paul Martin back as the lone defender. Chris Kelly beat Langenbrunner to the puck in the neutral zone and passed to Ruutu on his left. Ruutu beat Scott Clemmensen high to the stick side for his third goal of the season.

Johnny Oduya's power-play goal with 5:32 left in the first period increased the Devils' lead to 2-0.

Oduya moved in from the left point to finish a feed from Zach Parise, who was to the right of the net, for his third goal of the season.

Brian Gionta scored on a deflection only 40 seconds into game to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.

That made it the first time in team history that the Devils scored in the first two minutes of three consecutive games.

Daniel Alfredsson tried to bank the puck in off Scott Clemmensen from behind the net at 4:36 He flipped the puck up in the air and tried to hit Clemmensen in the back, but didn't get enough on it and it landed on top of the net instead.

Brent Sutter used Zach Parise on the penalty kill with John Madden out. Parise also got a PK shift in the first period in Buffalo on Wednesday when Madden went to the locker room for treatment on his back.

Sheldon Brookbank's breakaway coming out of the box was quite entertaining.

***

Gionta tipped Paul Martin's left point shot past goaltender Alex Auld on the glove side. This is the third game in a row in which the Devils scored within the first two minutes.

Patrik Elias assisted on both goals to extend his points streak to nine games.

Mike Fisher took a swing at Elias after Elias hit him in the left corner of the Ottawa zone.

Filip Kuba hit the crossbar with a shot from the right point at 7:24 after the Devils' Andy Greene hit the left post with a deflected shot earlier in the period.

That's three fights in four games for Jay Leach. Leach went after Chris Neil after Neil flattened Colin White behind the Devis' net. Leach would be wise to stay away from guys like Neil from now on, though. He took a pretty good beating in that bout and Neil let up on him at the end.

Again, John Madden is not playing tonight. The Devils said Madden is ill, but he also had a stiff back Wednesday night in Buffalo.

The anthem singer, Eric Keller, did an excellent job on both the Canadian and U.S. anthems. He has a strong voice and he got all the words right. That's three games in a row we've had both anthems.

The snow must have kept a lot of people away. The crowd is pretty sparse.

***

Here are the starting lineups for tonight's game between the Devils and Ottawa Senators at Prudential Center.

DEVILS

Forwards: Patrik Elias-Dainius Zubrus-Brian Gionta. Defensemen: Johnny Oduya-Paul Martin. Goaltender: Scott Clemmensen.

SENATORS

Forwards: Antoine Vermette-Mike Fisher-Daniel Alfredsson. Defense: Chris Phillips-Anton Volchenkov. Goaltender: Alex Auld.

***

Devils center John Madden did not skate in pre-game warm-ups and will not play in tonight's game against the Ottawa Senators at Prudential Center.

The Devils said Madden won't play tonight because he is ill.

Madden took part in the morning skate today and said his back felt fine after it stiffened up on him during Wednesday's win in Buffalo.

With Madden out, defenseman Brookbank will play right wing tonight to fill his lineup spot.

In warm-ups, Brookbank is skating on a line with Jay Pandolfo at left wing and Mike Rupp at center.

Defenseman Bryce Salvaddor also will not play tonight because of an upper body injury.

Alex Auld will start in net for the Senators.

Here's the Devils' lineup for tonight's game.

Forwards: Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Jamie Langenbrunner; Patrik Elias-Dainius Zubrus-Brian Gionta; Brian Rolston-Bobby Holik-David Clarkson; Jay Pandolfo-Mike Rupp-Sheldon Brookbank.

Defensemen: Johnny Oduya-Paul Martin; Jay Leach-Colin White; Andy Greene-Mike Mottau.

Goaltender: Scott Clemmensen.

Healthy scratches: none.

Injured: G Martin Brodeur (torn left biceps tendon); D Bryce Salvador (upper body injury); C John Madden (stiff back).

Comments

[Speedz]

on the nhl network. for the NHL Live! tv broadcast, on of the guys bought a Zach Parise jersey for some one for xmas. Thats so awesome.

[Rob]

dang.. when did salvador get injured, anyway?

[Nick]

Last game he dissapeared for the 3rd period and never came back. Madden was also not playing much last game. What does everyone think of the new Rolston-Holik-Clarkson line, and then what would the other line be? Pando-Madden-Rupp (when healthy)?

Would that make Madden's line become the 4th line? Especially if Rolston steps his game up and starts scoring, and I think Clarkson can become even a 20 goal scorer if he continues to work on his hockey skills and less on fighting.

[Tom Gulitti]

The Devils now say Madden is ill.

[Mike]

Yeah I think the Madden line is now the 4th line. Meaning that they should get 4th line minutes, especially since Sutter isn't matching the Madden line with the opposing teams best line anymore.

[Mike]

Madden is ill? I guess his back has a cold.

[Josh]

This is tough one, deciding whether to watch the Devs or to watch the Canada vs. Sweden game to check out Cormier and Tedenby...

[Nick]

I really hope Pandolfo-Rupp-Brookbank line gets 8 minutes tops, unless they show that they deserve the minutes.

[Speedz]

woo good news to me!

[mike in pa]

Thats how you start it up!!!!

[Nick]

Loving these quick goals at the beginning of games

[wj]

oh god...the crowd looks terrible.
But I guess that's expected with the weather...

GOAL!!!

[Nick]

Greene hits the post, so close

[embo slice]

i guess arlette had prior obligations.......ah, prob the nets game

[Mike]

Wow...Clemmensen can never be a catcher.

[aarrgghhhh]

of course the weather killed the crowd. this is the first home game I've watched at home since '96. I've missed games, obviously, but if I'm around, I'd go. Today was impossible.

[Nick]

Let's get one on the powerplay

[Airsilks]

Leach gotta stop dropping the gloves vs. guys that can beat his arse...
i like guys that wanna be physical and all, but he seems to be biting more he can chew

[Nick]

Oduya!

[Speedz]

ORRDUYA!!!!

[embo slice]

oduya really has blossomed....very deserving of a contract.....great story of zero to hero...(maybe not hero, but you get my point)

[Speedz]

Nice Colin, good positioning and solid defensive play there.

[Speedz]

TG u should deliver all the nice things we say, (when we say nice things) to the Devils players. let them know we're thinkin about em

[Nick]

White has been improving lately, other then that giveaway last game I think he has been solid compared to earlier in the season.

[embo slice]

not only has white been more solid defensively, but has become an offensive juggernaut by BLASTING shots from the point and PINCHING in to keep plays alive