John Madden's first goal of the season nearly went unnoticed so he made sure he buried his second one.
Madden scored twice and Martin Brodeur came within 1:14 of a shutout as the New Jersey Devils beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Thursday night in the NHL opener for both teams.
A video review was needed to confirm Madden's first goal early in the second period. Play continued for another 28 seconds before the play was reviewed after his shot 2:28 into the period beat goalie Patrick Lalime and went right through the net's mesh.
"When it's your first of the year, you're like, 'It's in!"' Madden said. "I let it go I just watched it and I saw it go underneath the crossbar and I was like, 'What the heck happened there?' I'm not sure if it was faulty netting or a hard shot."
There was no mistaking his second of the game, a short-handed effort with 1:21 left in the period.
"I put that one in the middle of the net," Madden said of his breakaway shot through Lalime's legs which put the Devils up 2-0.
Brodeur made 33 saves, losing his shutout on Ottawa's 32nd shot when Daniel Alfredsson tipped in Petr Schastlivy's shot 18:46 into the third.
Schastlivy had another chance moments later, but Brodeur stopped him as New Jersey held on to win in head coach Pat Burns' debut with the Devils.
"The first one's always a tough one," said Burns, who last coached with Boston in 2000-01.
Senators center Mike Fisher also got a shot past Brodeur early in the second, but his drive rang off the right post.
"We created chances but couldn't bury them when we needed to," Fisher said. "Their goaltender was the story tonight, I guess."
The Devils came back down the ice and Madden beat Lalime with the shot that went right through the mesh at the bottom of the net just inside the right post.
As play continued, Madden gestured toward the net, indicating that the puck had gone through the net, and the replay officials agreed, stunning the Corel Centre crowd of 16,865 as the clock was reset from 17:04 to 17:32.
"We had a great angle from the bench," Devils left wing Patrik Elias said. "It wouldn't have been possible for the net to move like that if it didn't go through. It's pretty strange because it was a brand new net."
Madden made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal during a Senators' power play 18:46 into the second. Madden intercepted Ottawa defenseman Wade Redden's backhand pass at the Senators' blue line and drove in on a breakaway, beating Lalime through the pads for an unassisted goal.
The Senators held a 34-20 edge in shots, including a 12-4 margin in the third.
| SCORING |
PENALTIES |
First Period: None.
Second Period: 1, New Jersey, John Madden 1 (Brian Gionta, Scott Stevens), 2:04. 2, New Jersey, John Madden 2 (shorhanded) (Unassisted), 18:39.
Third Period:3, Ottawa, Daniel Alfredsson 1 (Petr Schastlivy, Todd White), 18:14. |
First Period: T Stevenson, NJD (holding), 5:42; Z Chara, Ott (roughing), 11:21; S Van Allen, Ott (interference), 17:35; D Alfredsson, Ott (slashing), 20:00; C White, NJD (roughing), 20:00.
Second Period: S Van Allen, Ott (cross checking), 9:00; S Niedermayer, NJD (high sticking), 9:05; K Daneyko, NJD (interference), 15:04; T Stevenson, NJD (hooking), 18:23; W Redden, Ott (tripping), 19:15.
Third Period: K Daneyko, Njd (hooking), 9:04; D Alfredsson, Ott (elbowing), 19:26.
|
Attendance: 15,095.
Referees: Brad Watson, Marc Joannette.
Linesmen: David Brisebois, Kevin Collins
