NHL: Brodeur Returns as Devils Blank Colorado 4-0

On Thursday night the New Jersey Devils welcomed back goaltender Martin Brodeur for the first time in four months after a torn biceps tendon kept him out since Nov. 1. Many questions loomed on how he would do after only a month’s worth of spotty practices, how his arm would feel and so on.

Brodeur came back as if he had never left, stopping all 24 shots fired at him by a quickly sinking ship that has become the Colorado Avalanche.

Jamie Langenbrunner, Patrik Elias, Zach Parise, and Travis Zajac would all light the lamp as the game quickly became one-sided.  

Langenbrunner would find daylight between Andrew Raycroft’s pads just four minutes into the game receiving a pass from Zajac as he skated down the right wing. Brodeur would calmly handle the five shots against him as the Devils would take the 1-0 lead into the locker-room.

Elias would take advantage of the Ruslan Salei hooking penalty as well as a missed shot by Paul Martin which bounced off the board’s right to the Czech winger for his 24th goal of the year. He would snap Colorado’s season-high 18 consecutive penalty kills in the process. Brodeur would continue to shut the door on the one time foes stopping all 12 shots.

Parise would tie Jeff Carter for second most goals in the league with Ovechkinesque moves for his 36th.  Parise would whittle the puck off the right wing boards past Avalanche defenseman Brett Clark in the neutral zone. He would use his speed to get around Clark, and dipped his left shoulder into him right circle before lifting the puck over Raycroft's shoulder. He would finish with three points on the evening.

Zajac would cap off the night with his 17th after the Devils refused to leave the Avalanche zone for over a minute. He too would finish with three points as Brodeur would see out the remaining shots for his third shutout of the season and 99th in his career. He is now just four shy of Terry Sawchuk’s once elusive 103 all time shutouts. He would be fittingly be named first star of the game.

While the game was a great turn around for the team after scoring just two goals in their last three games but it was obvious Brodeur’s return was the highlight of the win. The buzz at Prudential Center was evident from warm ups to when Brodeur received a standing ovation as he skated onto the ice for the first time.

The crowd would grow louder any time Brodeur was shown on camera, touched the puck, and of course made a save. Chants of MAR-TY would rain from the rafters as Devils fans were ecstatic to have their backbone and franchise player back in his familiar spot.

Brodeur is now also within six wins of Patrick Roy’s all-time record 551. He will get the start on Saturday against the surging Florida Panthers and possibly against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. The Flyers are just six points back of the Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division. Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m.