newjerseydevils.com – The Devils' early season struggles appear to be at an end.

Tonight the club looks to extend a season-high four-game winning streak when it plays host to the Dallas Stars in the only matchup of the season between two of the league's hottest teams (7:00 p.m., MSG, WFAN 660 AM).

New Jersey made it four in a row on Saturday night, edging the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, on two goals from Brian Gionta. David Clarkson added his second of the season.

Martin Brodeur, who has won four straight including his 500th career victory on Nov. 17, made 13 of his 34 saves in the third period. The Lightning outshot the Devils, 14-1, over the game's final frame.

Brodeur started each game on the four-game trip and allowed just five goals.

"He played unbelievable this whole road trip," Devils defenseman Colin White said of Brodeur. "Save after save. They had a lot of chances, good quality chances."

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vs. Gratton 700K

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vs. Darche 700K

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vs. St. Louis 700K

The Devils (11-10-2) continued to click with the man advantage, and Gionta gave the team a power-play goal for a season-high third straight contest.

Jamie Langenbrunner, who returned to the lineup on Nov. 14 after missing the first 17 game of the season with a groin injury, has six points in his last three games, including four on the power play.

White came back on Nov. 21 from an eye-area injury suffered in training camp, and has helped shore up New Jersey's penalty kill, which is 16-for-17 during the winning streak.

Currently the eighth seed in the East, the Devils will have to contend with a Dallas group that has won six in a row and earned points in eight straight games.

The Pacific Division leaders kept rolling Monday, as Mike Modano scored his second goal of the game 35 seconds into overtime to lift the Stars over the Islanders 3-2.

The Stars have outscored opponents 20-7 during their winning streak, and have won the first two games of a six-game road trip.

Dallas has been winning even though Turco, the team's longtime No. 1 goaltender, has lost his grasp on the top job. Second-year player Mike Smith has taken over and won four in a row, allowing just four goals in that span.

Smith has never faced the Devils.

NJD NOTES
Brodeur is 8-8-0 with a 2.07 goals-against average against the Stars... Patrik Elias, who missed the last two games with the flu, is probable tonight... Johnny Oduya's next game will be the 100th of his NHL career.

Dallas won the only 2006-07 meeting between the teams, beating the Devils, 3-1, on Oct. 7, while outshooting New Jersey 31-20. Travis Zajac scored the Devils' lone goal, with assists from Sergei Brylin and Zach Parise... Dallas/Minnesota leads the all-time series 25-21-2, including a 12-10-1 mark in the previous 23 games played at New Jersey.

with wire services