Martin Brodeur set a National Hockey League record for games played by a goaltender and helped make the milestone a win with 27 saves and an assist, leading the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.
Brodeur passed Patrick Roy with his 1,030th appearance. Roy, who played for Montreal and Colorado, played 18 seasons. Brodeur is in his 16th season, all with New Jersey.
Brodeur set the NHL record for career wins by a goaltender last year, breaking another mark previously set by Roy.
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Jay Pandolfo snapped a second-period tie with a late goal and defenceman Bryce Salvador scored his first of the season for the Devils (24-8-1) with a little more than 10 minutes left.
Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Rolston scored early goals for the Devils.
Alexandre Picard and Jarkko Ruutu scored for Ottawa (17-13-4), which lost for the ninth straight time to New Jersey, dating to Oct. 27, 2007. Brian Elliot made 18 saves.
Pandolfo, who recently returned to action after missing 17 games with a shoulder injury, scored his second goal of the season, snapping a 2-all tie with 1:38 left in the second period.
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Brodeur gave the Devils a scare midway through the second period, when Jonathan Cheechoo crashed into the goalie with his shoulder. Brodeur was sprawled on the ice for several minutes. But after receiving medical attention, he put his mask back on and remained in goal.
The Devils took command of the game midway through the first period on their first power-play opportunity.
Langenbrunner executed a perfect give-and-go with defenceman Andy Greene to give New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 11:53.
Because he was the last person to touch the puck before Langenbrunner made his move up ice, Brodeur was credited with an assist, his second in the last three games.
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Ottawa tied the game just 39 seconds into the second period, when defenceman Picard's hard wrist shot eluded Brodeur after it appeared to deflect off Devils defenceman Mike Mottau.
The Devils responded quickly, when Rolston's slap shot from a tough right angle went by Elliott just 1:12 after Picard's goal. It was Rolston's 12th goal of the season.
Ottawa tied just four minutes later, when Ruutu took a precise two-line pass from Chris Kelly and beat Brodeur to make it 2-all.
Pandolfo scored at 18:22 of the second and Salvador made it 4-2 midway through the third.
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NOTES: Prior to the game, it was rumoured that longtime linemates Zach Parise and Travis Zajac would be separated in an attempt to snap both players out of recent scoring slumps. But the duo was paired together on their first shift of the game. ... The Senators played short-handed, with veterans Shean Donovan and Jason Spezza nursing serious knee injuries. Spezza is expected to miss six to eight weeks, but Donovan told media members that he will not require surgery for his torn MCL and should return to action soon. Donovan skated for the first time since being injured Thursday.