|
|
 |
 |
|
| |
Friday, Mar. 10 7:30pm ET
Devils give Thrashers 9-0 schooling | |||||
|
| ||||||
|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
ATLANTA (AP) -- Following a three-day break in Hilton Head, S.C., Patrik Elias didn't mind another day off. "We just tried to have fun and not give up too many chances and just enjoy it," Elias said after contributing a penalty shot that helped the New Jersey Devils tie two club records in a 9-0 shutout of the Atlanta Thrashers Friday night. "It was good for us to get a win and get our timing back." New Jersey, the top team in the Eastern Conference with 91 points, outshot the expansion Thrashers 38-19. John Madden and Jay Pandolfo had two goals apiece as the Devils tied the club record for margin of victory -- a mark first set on Oct. 26, 1991, when they beat the expansion San Jose Sharks 9-0. The Devils, who have outscored the Thrashers 18-2 in three games, hit the nine-goal threshold for the first time since beating Tampa Bay 9-3 on March 23, 1993. It marked the sixth time they have scored nine since the franchise moved from Colorado before the 1982-83 season. "You really don't know what to expect," New Jersey coach Robbie Ftorek said. "The guys did a good job with position, discipline and patience. That's the way we normally play." Atlanta, the worst team in the NHL with 34 points, dropped to 1-21-2 since beating Philadelphia 1-0 on Jan. 14. The Thrashers have lost seven straight. New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur, who faced only four shots in the third period, raised his record to 37-14-8. "It's always fun to get a lot of goals," Brodeur said. "When you get that big a lead, your intensity is not as great." Madden's team-record sixth short-handed goal -- a breakaway shot from the left circle -- gave the Devils a 1-0 lead 9:15 into the first period. Atlanta goalie Damian Rhodes, who was playing his first game since being sidelined Nov. 17 with ankle and knee injuries, gave up six goals for the second time in 14 starts. Just 2:32 after Madden's goal, Scott Stevens put the Devils up 2-0 by punching in a ricochet that followed Jason Arnott's slap shot from the left circle. Elias made it 3-0 with a penalty shot 14:36 into the first period by faking to Rhodes' left and then scooping the puck past the goalie's right side. Atlanta defenseman Geordie Kinnear gave Elias a shot at his team-high 29th goal when he used his glove to stop the puck in the crease. Elias scored for the third consecutive game. "I thought the guy made a great move on the penalty shot," said Rhodes, who dropped to 3-8-2 after facing 19 shots. "He froze me. I saw the shot, but the puck just trickled underneath me. I thought I played it pretty good, but when things go bad -- that was one of those nights." With 27 seconds left in the first, Sergei Nemchinov scored a breakaway goal for a 4-0 Devils lead, and Pandolfo put the Devils up 5-0 in the second period. After Brian Rafalski made it 6-0, Norm Maracle replaced Rhodes in the net 10:27 into the second period. Maracle, who saved 16 of 19 shots, gave up a sweeping shot to Madden from the left side of the slot 14:46 into the second period, and Pandolfo made it 8-0 14 seconds later with a breakaway shot from the top of the right circle. Scott Gomez scored the ninth goal, his 17th, with 11:37 remaining on a breakaway power play opportunity. Gomez also notched his team-high 43rd assist. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard New Jersey Clubhouse Atlanta Clubhouse RECAPS Montreal 3 Buffalo 2
New Jersey 9
  | |||||