GAME THREAD: NHL: NY ISLANDERS (9-6) at NEW JERSEY (7-11)

NHL: NY ISLANDERS at NEW JERSEY

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

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: T Jackman, Nyi (major fighting), 5:56; D
Clarkson, Njd (major fighting), 5:56; R Martinek, Nyi (hooking),
17:29; M Comrie, Nyi (roughing), 20:00; J Oduya, Njd (roughing),
20:00.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Islanders, Josef Vasicek 7 (shorthanded)
(Unassisted), 5:25. Penalties: C Simon, Nyi (tripping), 4:39; R
Pelley, Njd (hooking), 13:51.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: K Rachunek, Njd (hooking), 3:56.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Ny Islanders 7 11 8 --26
New Jersey 7 9 10 --26
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Ny Islanders - 0 of 2, New Jersey - 0 of 1.
Goalies : Ny Islanders, Rick DiPietro (26 shots, 26 saves; record:
9-5-0). New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (26 shots, 25 saves; record:
5-10-1). A: 15,076. Referees: Kevin Pollock, Stephane Auger.
Linesmen: Scott Driscoll, Steve Barton.</div>

 

NHL: NY ISLANDERS at NEW JERSEY

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
NY ISLANDERS 0 1 0 --1
NEW JERSEY 0 0 0 --0
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: T Jackman, Nyi (major fighting), 5:56; D
Clarkson, Njd (major fighting), 5:56; R Martinek, Nyi (hooking),
17:29; M Comrie, Nyi (roughing), 20:00; J Oduya, Njd (roughing),
20:00.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Islanders, Josef Vasicek 7 (shorthanded)
(Unassisted), 5:25. Penalties: C Simon, Nyi (tripping), 4:39; R
Pelley, Njd (hooking), 13:51.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: K Rachunek, Njd (hooking), 3:56.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
NY ISLANDERS 7 11 8 --26
NEW JERSEY 7 9 10 --26
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: NYI - 0 of 2, NJD - 0 of 1. Goalies : Ny
Islanders, Rick DiPietro (26 shots, 26 saves; record: 9-5-0). New
Jersey, Martin Brodeur (26 shots, 25 saves; record: 5-10-1). A:
15,076. Referees: Kevin Pollock, Stephane Auger. Linesmen: Scott
Driscoll, Steve Barton.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

NY ISLANDERS NEW JERSEY
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
R Park 0 0 even 1 R Pelley 0 0 even 2
A Hilbert 0 0 even 1 J Madden 0 0 even 1
C Simon 0 0 even 0 B Gionta 0 0 -1 2
B Guerin 0 0 even 4 J Langenbrunner0 0 -1 2
C Campoli 0 0 even 4 D Zubrus 0 0 even 0
T Jackman 0 0 even 0 S Brylin 0 0 even 0
M Sillinger 0 0 even 0 T Zajac 0 0 -1 2
S Bergenheim 0 0 even 1 V Vishnevski 0 0 even 2
R Martinek 0 0 +1 0 J Pandolfo 0 0 even 0
A Sutton 0 0 even 2 A Asham 0 0 even 1
R Fedotenko 0 0 even 2 D Clarkson 0 0 even 0
B Witt 0 0 +1 0 P Elias 0 0 even 5
B Berard 0 0 even 3 M Mottau 0 0 -1 0
J Vasicek 1 0 +1 1 K Rachunek 0 0 even 1
T Hunter 0 0 even 3 J Oduya 0 0 even 0
B Gervais 0 0 even 0 A Greene 0 0 even 2
M Satan 0 0 +1 1 S Brookbank 0 0 even 1
M Comrie 0 0 even 3 Z Parise 0 0 -1 5
M Bergeron HEALTHY M Rupp HEALTHY
F Meyer IV HEALTHY P Martin LOWER BODY INJURY</div>

 

By Joe Rizzo
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Rick DiPietro has turned thetables on the New Jersey Devils.


After losing to New Jersey six straight times last season,DiPietro made 26 saves for his second shutout of the season and13th career to backstop the New York Islanders to a 1-0 victoryover the Devils on Friday.


Josef Vasicek scored the lone goal for New York, which improvedto 3-0-0 against New Jersey this season.


"It was nerve-racking watching it go back and forth at the end,"Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "Ricky played a great, stronggame. He played hard and played smart, and he made some greatplays playing the puck."


"These are the kind of games you want to play on the roadtight, low-scoring," DiPietro said. "We feel good about ourroad play."


After winning his first meeting with the Devils in 2006-07,DiPietro was in net for each of the Islanders' six straightlosses in the series but was injured for the season finale inwhich Wade Dubielewicz won in a shootout to clinch a playoffberth for New York.


Vasicek scored for the third time in as many games against theDevils this season, netting a shorthanded goal 5:25 into thesecond period. Vasicek was on the forecheck when Devilsdefenseman Mike Mottau fell down in the right faceoff circle andlost the puck.


Vasicek gained possession, deked twice at the top of the creaseand took a shot that deflected off Martin Brodeur's blocker,into the air, over the netminder and across the goal line forhis team-leading seventh goal. He scored just six times in 63games with Nashville and Carolina last season and has notreached seven since 2003-04, when he netted a career-high 19with the Hurricanes.


"I didn't expect (Mottau) to fumble the puck like that," Vasiceksaid. "I don't know if he stepped in something or hit a rut inthe ice. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the righttime."


"Mistakes are going to be made, but I take full responsibilityfor that loss," Mottau said. "Unfortunately, that mistake wasthe decisive factor in the game. I hit a rut and went down onmy backside. He had plenty of time to make a move. I can'tremember the last time I fell down trying to make a move."

Despite making 24 saves, Brodeur was denied for the thirdstraight time in an attempt at his 500th career win. He lost onthe road to the Islanders on November 10th and at home to theNew York Rangers on Wednesday.


"You create your own luck," said Brodeur, who fell to 5-10-1.<div class="pre">"Just winning the next game what is it, three games now? When</div>I go in there, I am used to winning. Now, I'm losing more thanI am winning. It's not fun."


The Devils' next four games are on the road, increasing thelikelihood the historic win will come away from the newPrudential Center.


"Regardless of who on the other team is chasing records, it's adivision game on the road," DiPietro said. "He'll get it atsome point."


With DiPietro's 99th career victory, the Islanders improved to1-2-0 on their four-game road trip against Atlantic Divisionrivals, which concludes Monday against the Rangers.

DiPietro was not tested much early on but came up with a glovesave on Zach Parise and a kick stop on defenseman Johnny Oduyain a short span midway through the third period. He glovedOduya's one-timer from the high slot with 7:09 left, then 15seconds later smothered Travis Zajac's wrist shot from betweenthe circles.


"He's been great," Vasicek said of DiPietro. "He gives us achance every night and gives us great confidence in ourselves.It was a 1-0 game, they played great defensively and Ricky madesome game-saving saves."


In making seven saves in the first period, nine in the secondand 10 in the third, DiPietro led the Islanders to the 499throad win in franchise history.


"When you have a stallion, you have to keep riding him," Nolansaid of his goaltender, who has started 11 consecutive games.