Devils down Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. – A bounce here, a bounce there. The way Martin Brodeur sounded, the New Jersey Devils were fortunate to close out the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In reality, the three-time Stanley Cup champion goalie was the difference in the first-round Eastern Conference series that the Devils won Sunday with Brodeur stopping 32 shots and Brian Gionta scoring two goals in a 3-2 victory.
Faced with criticism after playing poorly in the first three games, the 34-year-old goaltender reverted to the form that helped him set a regular-season record for victories and win three straight to end the best-of-seven matchup in six games.
“We won, and it doesn’t matter if you play well or not,” Brodeur said. “It’s a fine line in the playoffs – winning and losing, and how somebody performs – because the luck factor is such a big factor.”
Brian Rafalski also scored and Patrick Elias assisted on all three of New Jersey’s goals. The Devils advanced to the East semifinals against the Ottawa Senators, who eliminated Pittsburgh in five games.
Brad Richards scored two power-play goals for Tampa Bay, which was shutout by Brodeur in Game 5 after scoring three goals in each of the first four games and making the New Jersey star look nothing like a goalie that won a league-record 48 games this season.
Brodeur’s performance in the first three raised questions about his vulnerability. He rebounded from squandering a two-goal lead in the second period of Game 4, which New Jersey won in overtime, then stopped 31 shots for his 22nd career playoff shutout Friday night.
“It wasn’t like he was playing horrible. It was just some bounces. The two game-winning goals that they did get came off shin pads,” New Jersey’s John Madden said. “It wasn’t like everybody was out of position or anything like that. You’ve got to keep plugging away.”
That’s exactly what Brodeur did.
“When you’ve been through it, you just put your head down and work harder. I can’t make the bounces go my way if I don’t believe that I’m able to stop the puck,” Brodeur said. “I know when it doesn’t go well, I’ll get that criticism.”
Brodeur’s 93rd postseason win moved him ahead of Grant Fuhr and into second place on the career playoff list behind Patrick Roy’s 151.
“I don’t think he was totally on his game through the first four (games),” Lightning coach John Tortorella said. “The opportunity we had in overtime, we didn’t get it done. But you knew he was going to come up sooner or later, and I think the last two games he was the difference.”
Tampa Bay outshot the Devils 10-7 in the third period, but was unable to capitalize on its only power-play opportunity of the period to finish 2 for 6 with a man advantage.
New Jersey converted its first two power-play opportunities and finished 2 for 4.