GAME THREAD: NHL: NEW JERSEY (3-5) at NY RANGERS (2-6)

NHL: NEW JERSEY (3-5) at NY RANGERS (2-6)

<h3>Gomez, Rangers set for meeting with rival Devils</h3>

<div class="pre">New Jersey (3-4-1) at Ny Rangers (2-5-1) 7:00 pm EDT</div>

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Signing players like Scott Gomez away fromthe New Jersey Devils was supposed to make the New York Rangers'offense better. It hasn't.


Gomez will try to get the league's lowest ranked offense backon track when the Rangers host the rival Devils on Thursday ina battle of Atlantic Division foes.


The 27-year-old Gomez will face his former team for the firsttime since signing a seven-year, $51.5 million contract in theoffseason with New York. He has managed just two goals andthree points over eight games this season.


Gomez scored the last Rangers' goal in the final minute of their5-3 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers last Thursday. They havebeen shutout their previous two contests by both the BostonBruins and Pittsburgh Penguins.


The Rangers have tallied an NHL-low 13 goals and have lost fourstraight, but they have played much better at Madison SquareGarden this season than on the road. The club is 2-1-0 withnine goals scored at home.


Ending the scoring drought will not be an easy task for theRangers as they will be put up against three-time Vezina Trophywinner Martin Brodeur. The 35-year-old Brodeur has beenuncharacteristically average this season, going 2-4-0 with a3.51 goals-against average and .865 save percentage.

Offensively, New Jersey has been led by Zach Parise, who has ateam-leading eight assists and 10 points on the season. JohnMadden leads the club with four goals.


The Rangers will counter with a pair of 600-goal scorers.Jaromir Jagr leads New York with seven assists and eight points,while Brendan Shanahan has struggled to just a goal and an assistthis season.

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL AT NY RANGERS
STARTING GOALIES: NJD - MARTIN BRODEUR
NYR - HENRIK LUNDQVIST

OFFICIALS: REF - GORD DWYER, PAUL DEVORSKI
LIN - BRAD KOVACHIK, DEREK MANSEN</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NEW JERSEY VS NY RANGERS - SCRATCHES

NEW JERSEY NY RANGERS

M MOTTAU HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1
1ST PRD: NYR - NIGEL DAWES 1 (BRENDAN SHANAHAN) 0:57</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 16:50 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 14:23 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 10:40 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 9:35 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 6:34 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 5:56 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 3:12 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 2:59 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 0 0
NY RANGERS 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NYR - NIGEL DAWES 1 (BRENDAN SHANAHAN) 0:57

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NJD 9 9
NYR 14 14

GOALIES: NJD - MARTIN BRODEUR
NYR - HENRIK LUNDQVIST</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">------------------------
New Jersey 0 --0
Ny Rangers 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 1 (Brendan
Shanahan), 0:57. Penalties: D Clarkson, Njd (interference), 7:49; A
Asham, Njd (hooking), 11:29.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
New Jersey 9 --9
Ny Rangers 14 --14
-----------------------------

Goalies : New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (14 shots, 13 saves). Ny Rangers,
Henrik Lundqvist (9 shots, 9 saves). Referees: Gord Dwyer, Paul
Devorski. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Derek Mansen.</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 15:57 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 14:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 14:40 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1 13:10 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>