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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't well
liked in New Jersey.
| | New Jersey's Randy McKay, right, redirects the puck over Pittsburgh goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin's shoulder and into the net. |
Nothing personal, the Devils are still bitter after being
knocked out of the playoffs in the first round last year.
The Devils got a touch of revenge Tuesday night as Claude
Lemieux set up goals by John Madden and Randy McKay to lead New
Jersey to a 2-1 victory that sent the Penguins to their third
straight loss and sixth in nine games.
"Pittsburgh might be a little out of the way, but we, the
players, have a big rivalry with Pittsburgh," said Devils
goaltender Martin Brodeur. "We want to beat them every time and we
don't like the way they are.
"When you get beat in the playoffs it hurts you," Brodeur
added. "It was the same way with Ottawa. ... There are a few
rivalries in a season and you have to look forward to them, or it
can be a long season."
Brodeur made 24 saves in winning an entertaining goaltending
battle with Jean-Sebastien Aubin, who made 39 stops in filling in
for the suspended Tom Barrasso.
Brodeur lost his shutout on a power-play goal by Jan Hrdina, his
first of the season. But preserved the win in the closing seconds,
stopping a German Titov shot from the left circle.
"I'll trade my 39 saves against his 22 (actually 24) and get
the win," said Aubin, who was called up from the minors earlier in
the day. "That's all I want."
Madden, who was kept out of the lineup the last four games, gave
the Devils the lead at 2:55 of the second period, just seconds
after being stopped on a breakaway.
Scott Stevens kept the puck in the Penguins zone and fed Lemieux
for a shot in the circle. Aubin made the save, but Madden got the
rebound and backhanded it into the net.
One of the reasons Madden was able to do that was Pittsburgh
defenseman Hans Jonsson had left the ice to get a new stick.
"It couldn't come at a better time," Madden said. "I sat out
four games and came back in the lineup. I wanted so much to
contribute. To get a goal in a close hockey game like that, it
helps."
Brodeur was at his best late in the second period maintaining
the lead. He first made a sliding pad save on Martin Straka right
in front and then stopped Jaromir Jagr on a semibreakaway.
"We didn't get much traffic in front of him," said Hrdina,
whose goal ended a streak of four straight for the Penguins by
Alexei Kovalev. "He saw all the shots. He played good but
'See-bass' was unbelievable, too. He played great. It's too bad we
didn't get a win for him."
Aubin was defenseless on McKay's ninth goal of the season.
Lemieux turned the puck around the boards to Scott Niedermayer
and he just sent the puck right on goal. McKay was all alone there
and redirected it into the net.
The Devils took a season-high 20 shots in the second period.
Barrasso received a four-game suspension on Monday for a slash
that broke the arm of Toronto's Yanic Perreault on Saturday.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 4 NY Islanders 2
Calgary 3 Montreal 3
New Jersey 2 Pittsburgh 1
Carolina 4 St. Louis 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
John Madden scores for New Jersey.
avi: 686 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Randy McKay goes to the net and scores.
avi: 839 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jan Hrdina scores for Pittsburgh.
avi: 1060 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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