Devils 3, Thrashers 0 (FINAL)
Brodeur kept his eye on the puck all night long, making 22 saves in Atlanta on Friday night.


newjerseydevils.com (Nov. 23) – Martin Brodeur's first shutout of the season came against the NHL's leading goal scorer and one of the league's hottest teams.

Brodeur made 22 saves Friday night for career shutout No. 93, as the Devils topped the Thrashers, 3-0, at Philips Arena.

Last Saturday in Philadelphia, Brodeur (8-10-1) became just the second goaltender in league history to win 500 games. In Atlanta, he moved to within one shutout of George Hainsworth (94) for second on the league's all-time list. Terry Sawchuk holds the record with 103.

Brodeur, who led the league with 12 shutouts last season, has won three straight, and the three-time Vezina Trophy winner has limited opponents to two goals or less in six of his last seven starts.

The Devils (10-10-2), meanwhile, got goals from Rod Pelley, Paul Martin and Jay Pandolfo to post their first three-game winning streak of the season and move into a third-place tie with the Islanders in the Atlantic Division.

Martin returned to the Devils' lineup after missing three games with lower body soreness and struck for the club's third power-play goal in two games (3-for-9).

Entering Wednesday's contest in Pittsburgh, the Devils had connected just once in their previous 34 opportunities with the man advantage. Now, a power-play attack that had endured some dry spells over the first quarter of the season is having a positive impact on the scoresheet.

The results were equally sweet for New Jersey's penalty killers, who were 2-for-2 on Friday, and have gone 15-for-15 over the last four contests.

Ilya Kovalchuk and the Thrashers entered the game with 11 wins in their last 15 games, looking to tie a franchise-record with their fifth win in a row. Kovalchuk leads the NHL with 19 goals.

But after a scoreless opening frame, Pelley's second of the season got New Jersey on the board at 8:59 of the second period. The Devils are 9-2-1 this season when scoring first.

Dainius Zubrus started the play from the left corner, dumping the puck around the Atlanta net. Pelley picked it up and put a sharp-angle shot from the right side of the goal line that beat goaltender Johan Hedberg to his left.

Later in the period, with the Devils on a 5-on-3 power play for 1:53, Martin added his first of the season from Brian Gionta and Jamie Langenbrunner to give the Devils a two-goal edge at 16:24.

The Minneapolis native one-timed a Gionta pass to beat Hedberg with a slapshot from the point. Martin had 29 shifts for 22:44 of ice time, including 2:31 on the power play and 3:48 shorthanded.

Pandolfo added an empty-net goal with 27.6 seconds left in regulation, tying Zach Parise for the team's goal-scoring lead with eight.

Langenbrunner recorded assists on all three New Jersey goals. The right wing now has five points in his last two games, and seven points in his last five (2g-5a) since returning from a groin injury on Nov. 14.

The Devils conclude their road trip with a stop in Tampa Bay tomorrow (7:30 p.m., MSG, WFAN 660 AM), and return to New Jersey to begin a five-game homestand with a contest against the Dallas Stars at Prudential Center on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 7:00 p.m.


NJD NOTES
Brodeur ties Terry Sawchuk for the most career combined shutouts (regular season and playoffs) with 115... Patrik Elias was out of the lineup with flu-like symptoms, and New Jersey skated seven defensemen... Karel Rachunek missed a second game following the birth of his son on Wednesday.