GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: NEW JERSEY (2-3) at PITTSBURGH (2-2)

NHL: NEW JERSEY at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
New Jersey 2 2 1 --5
Pittsburgh 2 2 0 --4
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, New Jersey, Jay Pandolfo 2 (David Clarkson,
John Madden), 6:46. 2, New Jersey, John Madden 4 (David Clarkson, Jay
Pandolfo), 9:58. 3, Pittsburgh, Maxime Talbot 4 (Ryan Whitney, Gary
Roberts), 15:58. 4, Pittsburgh, Gary Roberts 1 (power play) (Sergei
Gonchar, Petr Sykora), 17:48. Penalties: D Zubrus, Njd (slashing),
16:28; J Madden, Njd (hooking), 19:31.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Pittsburgh, Sergei Gonchar 1 (power play)
(Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin), 0:52. 6, New Jersey, Travis Zajac 2
(power play) (Zach Parise, Paul Martin), 6:57. 7, New Jersey, Travis
Zajac 3 (power play) (Brian Gionta, Zach Parise), 14:48. 8,
Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin 2 (power play) (Sidney Crosby, Sergei
Gonchar), 18:42. Penalties: J Ruutu, Pit (hooking), 4:37; D Sydor,
Pit (hooking), 6:47; P Sykora, Pit (hooking), 7:21; M Recchi, Pit
(holding), 9:37; Bench, Pit (too many men served by P Sykora), 12:24;
S Gonchar, Pit (hooking), 14:21; A Greene, Njd (delay of game), 15:03;
Z Parise, Njd (high sticking), 17:33; P Martin, Njd (holding), 17:54;
R Malone, Pit (double minor holding, unsportsmanlike cond), 19:39.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 9, New Jersey, Arron Asham 2 (Zach Parise,
Patrik Elias), 10:38. Penalties: A Asham, Njd (double minor
roughing), 13:14; G Roberts, Pit (roughing), 13:14; S Crosby, Pit
(tripping), 13:14.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
New Jersey 14 11 10 --35
Pittsburgh 10 15 5 --30
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: New Jersey - 2 of 7, Pittsburgh - 3 of 5.
Goalies : New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (30 shots, 26 saves; record:
2-3-0). Pittsburgh, Marc-Andre Fleury (35 shots, 30 saves; record:
2-3-0). A: 16,990. Referees: Dean Morton, Dennis Larue. Linesmen:
Jonny Murray, Ryan Galloway.</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY 2 2 1 --5
PITTSBURGH 2 2 0 --4
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, New Jersey, Jay Pandolfo 2 (David Clarkson,
John Madden), 6:46. 2, New Jersey, John Madden 4 (David Clarkson, Jay
Pandolfo), 9:58. 3, Pittsburgh, Maxime Talbot 4 (Ryan Whitney, Gary
Roberts), 15:58. 4, Pittsburgh, Gary Roberts 1 (power play) (Sergei
Gonchar, Petr Sykora), 17:48. Penalties: D Zubrus, Njd (slashing),
16:28; J Madden, Njd (hooking), 19:31.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Pittsburgh, Sergei Gonchar 1 (power play)
(Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin), 0:52. 6, New Jersey, Travis Zajac 2
(power play) (Zach Parise, Paul Martin), 6:57. 7, New Jersey, Travis
Zajac 3 (power play) (Brian Gionta, Zach Parise), 14:48. 8,
Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin 2 (power play) (Sidney Crosby, Sergei
Gonchar), 18:42. Penalties: J Ruutu, Pit (hooking), 4:37; D Sydor,
Pit (hooking), 6:47; P Sykora, Pit (hooking), 7:21; M Recchi, Pit
(holding), 9:37; Bench, Pit (too many men served by P Sykora), 12:24;
S Gonchar, Pit (hooking), 14:21; A Greene, Njd (delay of game), 15:03;
Z Parise, Njd (high sticking), 17:33; P Martin, Njd (holding), 17:54;
R Malone, Pit (double minor holding, unsportsmanlike cond), 19:39.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 9, New Jersey, Arron Asham 2 (Zach Parise,
Patrik Elias), 10:38. Penalties: A Asham, Njd (double minor
roughing), 13:14; G Roberts, Pit (roughing), 13:14; S Crosby, Pit
(tripping), 13:14.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY 14 11 10 --35
PITTSBURGH 10 15 5 --30
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: NJD - 2 of 7, PIT - 3 of 5. Goalies : New
Jersey, Martin Brodeur (30 shots, 26 saves; record: 2-3-0).
Pittsburgh, Marc-Andre Fleury (35 shots, 30 saves; record: 2-3-0). A:
16,990. Referees: Dean Morton, Dennis Larue. Linesmen: Jonny Murray,
Ryan Galloway.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

NEW JERSEY PITTSBURGH
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
R Pelley 0 0 even 2 G Roberts 1 1 +1 1
J Madden 1 1 +1 4 J Staal 0 0 -2 0
B Gionta 0 1 even 3 R Malone 0 0 -2 0
D Zubrus 0 0 -1 3 E Christensen 0 0 even 2
M Rupp 0 0 even 0 P Sykora 0 1 -2 3
S Brylin 0 0 even 2 A Hall 0 0 even 1
T Zajac 2 0 even 4 R Whitney 0 1 -1 2
V Vishnevski 0 0 even 0 C Armstrong 0 0 +1 2
J Pandolfo 1 1 +2 2 M Talbot 1 0 +1 4
A Asham 1 0 even 3 M Eaton 0 0 even 1
D Clarkson 0 2 +2 1 J Ruutu 0 0 even 0
P Elias 0 1 +1 2 R Scuderi 0 0 even 0
M Mottau 0 0 +1 0 B Orpik 0 0 -1 0
K Rachunek 0 0 even 0 D Sydor 0 0 -1 2
J Oduya 0 0 +1 0 S Gonchar 1 2 -1 3
A Greene 0 0 +1 1 E Malkin 1 1 -1 4
P Martin 0 1 +1 2 M Recchi 0 0 -1 3
Z Parise 0 3 +1 6 S Crosby 0 2 -1 2
R Matvichuk HEALTHY G Laraque GROIN
S Brookbank HEALTHY A Nasreddine HEALTHY</div>

 

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Don't look now, but Brent Sutterapparently has turned the New Jersey Devils into an offensivejuggernaut.


Arron Asham snapped a tie midway through the third period andZach Parise collected three assists as the Devils posted theirsecond consecutive high-scoring victory, a 5-4 triumph over thePittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.


Travis Zajac scored twice, John Madden and Jay Pandolfo each hada goal and an assist and David Clarkson set up a pair oftallies for New Jersey, which registered a 6-5 win over Atlantaon Saturday.


"Usually, they won games in the past that were low-scoring,"Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "We have to play a betterdefensive game or allow less goals. It's too demanding to scorefive or six goals each game."


Known for their tight defensive style for the past dozen years,the Devils have scored an average of three goals over theirfirst six games of the season.


"For some of the guys that have been here a long time, it'sdefinitely uncharted territory for us," Madden said of theDevils' offensive style. "It's fun, you get a lot more chances,but at the same time, when you do turn the puck over, you're along way from your own net. As long as we win hockey games, Idon't care what kind of style we play."


"It's definitely different, a different look, very entertainingfor the fans," New Jersey's Brian Gionta added. "But I'd liketo be keeping the puck out of the net a little more and keepscoring the goals we do."


With the game tied at 4-4 halfway through the third session, NewJersey moved ahead for good with 9:22 remaining. From belowthe right faceoff circle, Parise made a cross-crease pass toAsham, who knocked the puck past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleuryfor his second goal of the season.


"It was a nice pass across, and it was just a tap-in," Ashamsaid. "I was happy it went in."


The Devils got off to a great start thanks to their checkingline.


A finalist for the Selke Trophy last season, Pandolfo opened thescoring at 6:46 of the first period. After Clarkson made awraparound attempt at the left goalpost, the puck sailed intothe right circle to Pandolfo, who fired it past Fleury for hissecond goal of the season.


New Jersey defenseman Johnny Oduya preserved the lead less thana minute later, denying Ryan Malone's attempt to shoot the puckinto a vacant net with his stick. That set the stage for Maddento double the Devils' advantage.


Joining Clarkson on a 2-on-1 rush, Madden received the puck andblasted it over Fleury's left shoulder from the top of the rightcircle at 9:58 for his fourth of the campaign and a 2-0 bulge.

Pittsburgh refused to get down, however, rallying for twotallies late in the period to forge a tie.


From the right point, defenseman Ryan Whitney made a perfectpass to Maxime Talbot, who redirected the puck past reigningVezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur from the doorstep with 4:02remaining to get the Penguins on the board. It was theteam-leading fourth goal of the season for Talbot, who netted acareer-high 13 in 2006-07.


Less than two minutes later, Gary Roberts deflected defensemanSergei Gonchar's wrist shot from the blue line past Brodeurwhile standing in the high slot during a power play, knottingthe contest at 2-2.


The second period was even wilder, as the teams combined forfour more goals and a tally that was disallowed.


"I haven't seen a second period like that in a while," Ashamsaid. "It's been a long time. Definitely a weird, weird secondperiod."


Gonchar gave the Penguins a 3-2 edge just 52 seconds into thesession, one-timing a feed from captain Sidney Crosby pastBrodeur from the right point during a man advantage. But Zajactied it with the first of his two goals at 6:57, redirecting apass from Parise by Fleury from below the right circle for apower-play tally.


Pittsburgh thought it surged ahead when 2007 Calder Trophywinner Evgeni Malkin converted a 2-on-none chance with 7 1/2minutes left. But the goal was disallowed, as the Penguins werecalled for having too many men on the ice, resulting in theodd-man rush.


"It went from a 2-on-none to a non-goal," Brodeur said. "I'mnot used to that too much. I'm happy that they called it. Thereferees are there to make some calls, and that was an importantone when it costs a goal."


"(The penalty call) was a little delayed, but there were a lotof bodies on the ice," Sutter said. "We made a bad line changewith all five guys coming to the bench when the puck was at thehash marks in their zone. That shouldn't have happened. Yetwhen I turned and looked, there were a lot of black jerseys onthe ice, too. So all in all, the refs made the call."

Petr Sykora served the penalty and, upon exiting the box,received a pass that sent him in on a breakaway. But Brodeurwas equal to the task, denying his former Devils teammate withhis glove with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the period.

Zajac gave New Jersey a 4-3 lead with 5:12 to go, poking a loosepuck in the crease into the net as Fleury was flat on his backunder a crowd of players for another power-play tally.

"(Gionta) pushed me right into the back of the net, and the guyshot and scored," said Fleury, who pushed the net off itsmoorings in anger after the tally. "I thought that wasillegal."


Fleury's counterpart understood his displeasure with the ruling.

"I don't like that, when the goalie has the puck and everybody'sgoing and the puck squirts loose," Brodeur said. "As a goalie,you feel helpless a little bit. It's hard because sometimesthere's so many guys around you and you don't even know wherethe puck is.


"So I can understand the reason he was mad. When it happens toyou, it's not fun. But it got a goal for us, so we won'tcomplain too much."


Malkin would not be denied, however, as the Russian blasted aslap shot from the right circle past Brodeur during a 5-on-3advantage at 18:42, drawing Pittsburgh even at 4-4.

Brodeur made 26 saves for the Devils, who improved to 3-3-0 ontheir franchise-high nine-game road trip to open the season.

Crosby recorded two assists and Fleury stopped 30 shots forPittsburgh, which fell to 1-2-0 at home.


"Giving up five goals against isn't acceptable," Malone said."You're not going to win too many games where you give up fivegoals. We've got to start playing better in our own end."

Asham was involved in a scrum with Crosby during the latter halfof the third period, forcing Roberts to jump in in defense ofthe Penguins' superstar. Both teams received a pair of minorpenalties for the fracas.


"(Crosby) threw his elbow up and got me in the nose. That'swhen I lost it," Asham said. "I don't care who he is, if hehits me in the nose, I'm gonna do something about it. It'sGary's job to come in there, too. I would have done the samething for Zach or anyone. It's part of the game."