Parise, Langenbrunner help Devils nip Capitals in shootout

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Game Information

Arena: Verizon Center Location: Washington, DC

Referees: Chris Lee, Dan O'Rourke Linesmen: Scott Cherrey, Greg Devorski

Attendance: 18,277 (97.9% full)

Team Stat Comparison
55	Goals	80
47	Goals Against	67
18	Power Play Goals	22
13	Power Play Goals Allowed	20
2	Shorthanded Goals	0
1	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	2
197	Penalty Minutes	238
9	Average Penalty Minutes	10

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			NJD	WAS
9:06		Mike Green Assists: Mike Knuble, Alex Ovechkin	0	1
14:16		Mike Knuble Assists: Alex Ovechkin	0	2
2ND PERIOD			NJD	WAS
8:18		Brian Rolston Assists: Rob Niedermayer, Colin White	1	2
3RD PERIOD			NJD	WAS
13:34		David Clarkson Assists: Niclas Bergfors, Dainius Zubrus	2	2
OT			NJD	WAS
No scoring this period			2	2
Shootout Summary
	Start of Shootout period
	Shootout GOAL scored by Nicklas Backstrom on Martin Brodeur (Wristshot 10 ft)
	Shootout GOAL scored by Zach Parise on Jose Theodore (Wristshot 11 ft)
	Shootout attempt by Alexander Semin SAVED by Martin Brodeur (Slapshot 14 ft)
	Shootout GOAL scored by Jamie Langenbrunner on Jose Theodore (Wristshot 9 ft)
	Shootout attempt by Alex Ovechkin SAVED by Martin Brodeur (Backhand 11 ft)
	End of Shootout
	End of Shootout period

WASHINGTON -- First, Martin Brodeur denied the Washington Capitals' top scorers in a shootout. Then the New Jersey goalie deftly deflected praise for preserving the Devils' third straight victory.

Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner scored in the shootout, Brodeur stopped shootout attempts by Alexander Semin and Alex Ovechkin and the Devils beat the Capitals 3-2 on Monday night to end a three-game road trip unbeaten.

Fast Facts

• The Devils have won six of their last eight games at Washington.

• New Jersey has won 14 of its last 16 overtime/shootout games dating to last season.

• In six games this season, Alex Ovechkin has five goals and seven assists.

-- ESPN Stats & Information

"It's nice when you go out and your first couple of guys scores all the time [in the shootout]. For a goalie, it's great," said Brodeur. "You make a save and the next thing you know, you're in good position to win the hockey game."

Nicklas Backstrom tallied for the Capitals in the shootout, but Brodeur used his left arm to block Semin's drive and kicked away Ovechkin's shot at the left post.

Brian Rolston and David Clarkson tallied in regulation for the Devils, who overcame a two-goal deficit and notched their third consecutive road victory to open a season -- something New Jersey hasn't done since winning its first four road games in 1989-90.

"You go on the road, regardless of teams you play, and you have three games and you just hope to do well," Brodeur said. "We did great. We got all six points."

Mike Knuble celebrated his promotion to Washington's top line with a goal and an assist and Mike Green also scored for the Capitals, who have lost four straight. Ovechkin was held without a goal for a third straight game but contributed two assists.

"It's not a frustration. It's more like an annoyance," said Knuble of the skid. "We're doing all the things right, every game we've lost."

Knuble, the gritty veteran signed to a two-year free-agent deal in July, replaced Semin on the first line with Ovechkin and Backstrom. Knuble had played there in the preseason before coach Bruce Boudreau put Semin on the top trio at the start of the season.

The reworked combination of Semin, center Brendan Morrison and winger Brooks Laich was on the ice for New Jersey's two goals in regulation.

"I thought that [Knuble] played a solid game. I thought the other line struggled a little bit with the switch. ... We've got to find a switch that works for everybody," Boudreau said.

The Capitals, hampered by ill-timed penalties during their skid, killed off all five power plays by the Devils, who had scored man-advantage goals in each of their previous three games. Washington, however, was 0-for-5 on the power play and wasted a two-man advantage lasting 52 seconds early in the third period with a 2-1 lead.

"Our penalty kill did a great job," said Langenbrunner. "It obviously starts with the guy in net. He made some big saves so the penalty kill would be good. I think we did a pretty good job against a very dangerous power play of at least keeping the shots so we knew where they were coming from. Marty knew where they were coming from."

The biggest save by either goalie came in overtime. With Morrison in the box for tripping, Washington's Jose Theodore blocked a shot by Parise at the right post to maintain the tie.

Green's goal, the first by a Washington defenseman this year, provided a 1-0 lead midway through the opening period. Green pinched in from the left wing, using Knuble as a screen, and whacked Ovechkin's rebound from a right-side shot past Brodeur's glove.

Just over five minutes later, Knuble made it 2-0. After Theodore blocked a Devils shot, Ovechkin took the puck, raced down the left wing and sent a rink-wide pass to Knuble, who snapped off a shot that hopped in over Brodeur's stick.

Rolston trimmed the lead in half 8:18 into the second period, converting from the right wing after a cross-ice feed from Rob Niedermayer.

With 6:26 remaining in regulation, Clarkson used defenseman Brian Pothier as a shield in front of the crease and banged home Niclas Bergfors' centering pass from behind the net.

Game notes
Clarkson has points in four straight games. ... Capitals left winger Tomas Fleischmann, who hasn't played this season while recovering from a blood clot in his leg, hopes to be cleared soon by team doctors so he can participate in practices, Boudreau said. ... Green celebrated his 24th birthday Monday. ... Devils center Travis Zajac had a three-game goal-scoring streak halted.