GAME THREAD: NHL: BOSTON (14-11) at NEW JERSEY (14-12)

By Larry Fleisher
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Patrik Elias no longer is thecaptain of the New Jersey Devils, but he still is one of theirleaders.


Elias scored his second goal of the game at 3:16 of overtime,lifting the Devils to a 4-3 comeback win over the Boston Bruinson Wednesday.


Zach Parise added two tallies and two assists for New Jersey,which extended its winning streak to eight games.


The captain of the Devils last season, Elias did not receive thenod this campaign from new coach Brent Sutter, who gave thehonor to Jamie Langenbrunner prior to Wednesday's game. But theCzech did not let that affect his play against the Bruins.

From the right faceoff circle, Elias unleashed a wrist shot thatsailed between the legs of defenseman Andrew Alberts and overthe glove of goaltender Tuukka Rask, continuing the Devils'longest winning streak since they captured the final 11 contestsof the 2005-06 season.


The Devils had not lost since November 16 and appeared headedfor a long night as they allowed three goals in a span of 10:21in the first period. They struggled defensively and gave ZdenoChara, Glen Murray and Dennis Wideman plenty of time and spaceto put slap shots past Martin Brodeur.


The outburst appeared as if it would give Claude Julien asuccessful night in his return to New Jersey, but the trio ofParise and Elias dominated thereafter.


Elias and Parise began the comeback with goals nine minutesapart in the second. Parise, who scored a power-play goal, thenforged a tie with less than six minutes remaining in the third,when he tipped defenseman Sheldon Brookbank's shot from theright point past netminder Tim Thomas, who left with 70 secondsto go in the period with an apparent ankle injury.

Before the game, the Devils named Langenbrunner their eighthcaptain in franchise history, but until the comeback, thatappeared like it was going to be the only highlight for theDevils.


Brodeur allowed three goals for the first time since November 14but recovered from the horrid first period and finished with 23saves.


Brian Gionta recorded his 100th career assist and Brookbank setup a pair of tallies for New Jersey, which rallied from athree-goal deficit to win for the first time since October 12,2006 against Toronto.


Thomas stopped 28 shots before being replaced.

 

NHL: BOSTON at NEW JERSEY

<div class="pre">------------------------------------------
Boston 3 0 0 0 --3
New Jersey 0 2 1 1 --4
------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Boston, Zdeno Chara 4 (Phil Kessel), 6:21.
2, Boston, Glen Murray 9 (P.J. Axelsson), 11:36. 3, Boston, Dennis
Wideman 2 (power play) (Marc Savard, Marco Sturm)16:40. Penalties: A
Asham, Njd (major fighting), 13:16; J Reich, Bos (major fighting),
13:16; D Zubrus, Njd (interference), 15:36.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, New Jersey, Patrik Elias 5 (Brian Gionta,
Zach Parise),6:51. 5, New Jersey, Zach Parise 13 (power play) (Patrik
Elias, Paul Martin)15:51. Penalties: P Kessel, Bos (holding), 2:33; A
Alberts, Bos (hooking), 3:48; P Martin, Njd (roughing), 8:12; G
Metropolit, Bos (interference), 13:59.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 6, New Jersey, Zach Parise 14 (Sheldon
Brookbank, Mike Mottau),14:03. Penalties: J Madden, Njd (holding),
16:28.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: 7, New Jersey, Patrik Elias 6 (Zach Parise,
Sheldon Brookbank),3:16.

Shots on goal:
--------------------------------------------
Boston 11 6 9 0 --26
New Jersey 11 13 7 2 --33
--------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Boston - 1 of 3, New Jersey - 1 of 3. Goalies
: Boston, Tim Thomas (31 shots, 28 saves), Tuukka Rask (1:10 of 3rd
period, 2, 1; record: 2-1-0). New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (26 shots, 23
saves; record: 13-10-1). A: 14,012. Referees: Dan Marouelli, Kerry
Fraser. Linesmen: Don Henderson, Thor Nelson.</div>

 

NHL: BOSTON at NEW JERSEY

<div class="pre">CORRECTION

NHL FINAL IN OT 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
BOSTON 3 0 0 0 3
NEW JERSEY 0 2 1 1 4 FINAL IN OT

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: BOS - ZDENO CHARA 4 (PHIL KESSEL) 6:21
BOS - GLEN MURRAY 9 (P.J. AXELSSON) 11:36
BOS - (PP) DENNIS WIDEMAN 2 (MARC SAVARD, MARCO STURM) 16:40
2ND PRD: NJD - PATRIK ELIAS 5 (BRIAN GIONTA, ZACH PARISE) 6:51
NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 13 (PATRIK ELIAS, PAUL MARTIN) 15:51
3RD PRD: NJD - ZACH PARISE 14 (SHELDON BROOKBANK, MIKE MOTTAU) 14:03
OT: NJD - PATRIK ELIAS 6 (ZACH PARISE, SHELDON BROOKBANK) 3:16

POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: BOS - 1 OF 3, NJD - 1 OF 3.

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
BOS 11 6 9 0 26
NJD 11 13 7 3 34

GOALIES: BOS - TIM THOMAS, TUUKKA RASK (1:10,
3RD)
NJD - MARTIN BRODEUR

OFFICIALS: REF - DAN MAROUELLI, KERRY FRASER
LIN - DON HENDERSON, THOR NELSON

ATT: 14,012</div>

 

NHL: BOSTON at NEW JERSEY

<div class="pre">------------------------------------------
Boston 3 0 0 0 --3
New Jersey 0 2 1 1 --4
------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Boston, Zdeno Chara 4 (Phil Kessel), 6:21.
2, Boston, Glen Murray 9 (P.J. Axelsson), 11:36. 3, Boston, Dennis
Wideman 2 (power play) (Marc Savard, Marco Sturm)16:40. Penalties: A
Asham, Njd (major fighting), 13:16; J Reich, Bos (major fighting),
13:16; D Zubrus, Njd (interference), 15:36.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, New Jersey, Patrik Elias 5 (Brian Gionta,
Zach Parise),6:51. 5, New Jersey, Zach Parise 13 (power play) (Patrik
Elias, Paul Martin)15:51. Penalties: P Kessel, Bos (holding), 2:33; A
Alberts, Bos (hooking), 3:48; P Martin, Njd (roughing), 8:12; G
Metropolit, Bos (interference), 13:59.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 6, New Jersey, Zach Parise 14 (Sheldon
Brookbank, Mike Mottau),14:03. Penalties: J Madden, Njd (holding),
16:28.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: 7, New Jersey, Patrik Elias 6 (Zach Parise,
Sheldon Brookbank),3:16.

Shots on goal:
--------------------------------------------
Boston 11 6 9 0 --26
New Jersey 11 13 7 3 --34
--------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Boston - 1 of 3, New Jersey - 1 of 3. Goalies
: Boston, Tim Thomas (31 shots, 28 saves), Tuukka Rask (1:10 of 3rd
period, 3, 2; record: 2-1-0). New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (26 shots, 23
saves; record: 13-10-1). A: 14,012. Referees: Dan Marouelli, Kerry
Fraser. Linesmen: Don Henderson, Thor Nelson.</div>

 

NHL: BOSTON at NEW JERSEY

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------------
BOSTON 3 0 0 0 --3
NEW JERSEY 0 2 1 1 --4
-----------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Boston, Zdeno Chara 4 (Phil Kessel), 6:21.
2, Boston, Glen Murray 9 (P.J. Axelsson), 11:36. 3, Boston, Dennis
Wideman 2 (power play) (Marc Savard, Marco Sturm)16:40. Penalties: A
Asham, Njd (major fighting), 13:16; J Reich, Bos (major fighting),
13:16; D Zubrus, Njd (interference), 15:36.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, New Jersey, Patrik Elias 5 (Brian Gionta,
Zach Parise),6:51. 5, New Jersey, Zach Parise 13 (power play) (Patrik
Elias, Paul Martin)15:51. Penalties: P Kessel, Bos (holding), 2:33; A
Alberts, Bos (hooking), 3:48; P Martin, Njd (roughing), 8:12; G
Metropolit, Bos (interference), 13:59.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 6, New Jersey, Zach Parise 14 (Sheldon
Brookbank, Mike Mottau),14:03. Penalties: J Madden, Njd (holding),
16:28.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: 7, New Jersey, Patrik Elias 6 (Zach Parise,
Sheldon Brookbank),3:16.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------------
BOSTON 11 6 9 0 --26
NEW JERSEY 11 13 7 3 --34
---------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: BOS - 1 of 3, NJD - 1 of 3. Goalies : Boston,
Tim Thomas (31 shots, 28 saves), Tuukka Rask (1:10 of 3rd period, 3,
2; record: 2-1-0). New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (26 shots, 23 saves;
record: 13-10-1). A: 14,012. Referees: Dan Marouelli, Kerry Fraser.
Linesmen: Don Henderson, Thor Nelson.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

BOSTON NEW JERSEY
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
P Axelsson 0 1 +1 2 R Pelley 0 0 even 0
C Kobasew 0 0 even 2 J Madden 0 0 even 0
G Metropolit 0 0 -2 1 B Gionta 0 1 +2 5
V Sobotka 0 0 even 0 J Langenbrunner0 0 -1 1
M Sturm 0 1 -1 4 D Zubrus 0 0 -1 0
M Lucic 0 0 even 0 S Brylin 0 0 -1 0
G Murray 1 0 even 4 T Zajac 0 0 -1 1
Z Chara 1 0 +2 3 V Vishnevski 0 0 even 0
B Allen 0 0 -1 1 A Asham 0 0 even 0
A Alberts 0 0 -1 1 D Clarkson 0 0 -1 2
M Stuart 0 0 +1 0 P Elias 2 1 +2 8
M Hunwick 0 0 -1 0 M Mottau 0 1 +1 1
J Reich 0 0 even 0 K Rachunek 0 0 even 3
P Nokelainen 0 0 even 0 C White 0 0 -1 0
D Wideman 1 0 -2 3 A Greene 0 0 +1 1
P Schaefer 0 0 -1 1 P Martin 0 1 -1 1
P Kessel 0 1 even 2 S Brookbank 0 2 +2 3
M Savard 0 1 +1 2 Z Parise 2 2 +3 8
A Ward ANKLE INJURY J Pandolfo ABDOMINAL
B Bochenski HEALTHY J Oduya HEALTHY
M Rupp HEALTHY</div>

 

By Larry Fleisher
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Patrik Elias no longer is thecaptain of the New Jersey Devils, but he still is one of theirleaders.


Elias scored his second goal of the game at 3:16 of overtime,lifting the Devils to a 4-3 comeback win over the Boston Bruinson Wednesday.


Zach Parise added two tallies and two assists for New Jersey,which extended its winning streak to eight games.


The captain of the Devils last season, Elias did not receive thenod this campaign from new coach Brent Sutter, who gave thehonor to Jamie Langenbrunner prior to Wednesday's game.

"If anybody deserves it, it should be Jamie or Jay (Pandolfo)because they've been here a while and Jamie has accomplished alot," Elias said. "He has been on winning teams. He's a greatplayer and a great guy in the locker room, so it's well-deservedto him."


"Anytime there's a change, you want to make it as easy aspossible," Langenbrunner said. "And it's a testament to (Elias)the way he responded, and it just shows his character and thekind of leader he is."


The Czech certainly did not let Sutter's decision affect hisplay against the Bruins, as he recorded just his secondthree-point performance of the season and first since October 13at Atlanta, when he scored the game-winner with 28 seconds leftin regulation.


"It was definitely his best game of the year, and not justbecause he got points," Sutter said. "Just the way he playedand everything he did and every shift. I'm not saying he hadn'tbeen playing well, but he took his game to another notchtonight."


From the right faceoff circle, Elias unleashed a wrist shot thatsailed between the legs of defenseman Andrew Alberts and overthe glove of goaltender Tuukka Rask, continuing the Devils'longest winning streak since they captured the final 11 contestsof the 2005-06 season.


"I told the guys before we went on, 'Don't rush with the puck,take your time and come back, we'll make a couple of passes,'"Elias said. "All four of us got back and supported each other.It was perfect."


The Devils had not lost since November 16 and appeared headedfor a long night as they allowed three goals in a span of 10:21in the first period. They struggled defensively and gave ZdenoChara, Glen Murray and Dennis Wideman plenty of time and spaceto put slap shots past Martin Brodeur.


The outburst appeared as if it would give Boston coach ClaudeJulien a successful return to New Jersey, but Parise and Eliasdominated thereafter.


Elias and Parise began the comeback with goals nine minutesapart in the second. Parise, who scored a power-play goal, thenforged a tie with less than six minutes remaining in the third,when he tipped defenseman Sheldon Brookbank's shot from theright point past netminder Tim Thomas, who left with 70 secondsto go in the period with an apparent ankle injury.

"The game turned probably at the start of the second period,"Wideman said. "That's a good team. If you give them a lot ofchances, they're going to score."


Before the game, the Devils named Langenbrunner their eighthcaptain in franchise history, but until the comeback, thatappeared like it was going to be the only highlight for theDevils.


"I think he's definitely happy to be our captain," Brodeur said."It's kind of nice for him. You want to play well for him,and we did."


Brodeur allowed three goals for the first time since November 14but recovered from the horrid first period and finished with 23saves.


"We'd love to have back the first 15 minutes of this game, butit doesn't work like that," Brodeur said. "We worked hard atour game, and it paid off."


Brian Gionta recorded his 100th career assist and Brookbank setup a pair of tallies for New Jersey, which rallied from athree-goal deficit to win for the first time since October 12,2006 against Toronto.


"We do have that confidence right now that we can come back from3-0 or whatever it is, and it showed tonight," said Parise, whoregistered his third multi-goal game of the season and secondin three contests. "We didn't surrender, we didn't stop at allwhen we were down 3-0, and that shows a lot about the team."

Thomas stopped 28 shots before being replaced. He appeared toget hit by a teammate's skate with just over a minute remainingin the third, but the Bruins did not divulge any furtherinformation, saying Thomas would be re-evaluated Thursday.

The Bruins concluded their six-game road trip at 3-2-1 and alsodropped to 7-3-1 in their last 11 contests. Before squanderingthe lead, they had a chance to take a 4-2 edge when MarcSavard's shot trickled past Brodeur before being knocked awaywith eight minutes to go.


"They get all their offense off turnovers, and they proved itagain tonight," said Savard, who extended his points streak to acareer-high 11 games with an assist. "We took the foot off thethrottle."