GAME: New Jersey Devils (17-6-7-0) at Buffalo Sabres (12-17-2-1).

TIME: Friday, 8 p.m. EST.

Riding the strong goaltending of Martin Brodeur, the defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils visit the struggling Buffalo Sabres as they continue a five-game road trip.

The Devils are 2-1 on the trip thus far, including Thursday's 3-0 victory at Atlanta. New Jersey is unbeaten in six of its last seven games overall, and Brodeur has four shutouts during that stretch.

"Is that what it is?" Brodeur said of his recent hot streak. "We've been playing good hockey. A lot of things can happen to prevent you from getting a shutout."

Brodeur earned his league-leading eighth shutout of the season and 72nd of his career Thursday. His career total is the highest by any active goaltender, 31 short of Terry Sawchuk's all-time NHL record.

Brodeur could also challenge the record for shutouts in a season, set by George Hainsworth, who posted 22 in a 44-game season in 1928-29. The post-expansion record of 15 was set by Tony Esposito in 1969-70.

New Jersey has 52 games remaining.

The Devils outshot the Southeast Division-leading Thrashers 38-15 and got goals from Rob Skrlac, Colin White and Scott Gomez to rebound from a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

"We wanted to bounce back from the way we played on Long Island," said Brodeur, whose 17 victories this season tie him with St. Louis' Chris Osgood for the NHL lead. "After a shootout like that, it's nice to come back and have a shutout."

The Sabres are beginning a three-game homestand after losing their sixth in a row with Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Pittsburgh. Miroslav Satan provided the lone goal for Buffalo, which hasn't scored more than two goals in any game during its skid.

The Sabres are last in the Northeast Division with just 27 points. Only three other teams in the Eastern Conference have accumulated less points.

The Devils are unbeaten in the last six meetings (4-0-2) with the Sabres.