NHL

Brodeur gets historic shutout

By wire services
Published February 4, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - On the night the Devils retired the number of defenseman Scott Stevens, Martin Brodeur became the third to reach 100 shutouts with a 3-0 victory against the Hurricanes on Friday.

Brodeur, who made 28 saves, joined Terry Sawchuk (115, 103 in the regular season) and George Hainsworth (102, 94 in the regular season). He has five shutouts this season, all in the past five weeks and is seventh all-time with 80 in the regular season.

The Devils took a 1-0 lead 2:18 into the second. Brian Gionta beat his defender down the left boards and centered to Patrik Elias, who one-timed a low shot past Cam Ward. Zach Parise scored 4:21 later on a rebound of Grant Marshall's shot.

Before the game, a 30-minute ceremony honored Stevens, who retired in September after captaining the Devils to Stanley Cups in 1995, 2000 and 2003. The franchise's first jersey retirement drew the first sellout of the season.

CAPITALS 4, LEAFS 1: Chris Clark, who signed a two-year extension before the game, had a goal and an assist for host Washington. Toronto is 1-8-2 in its past 11. Mats Sundin put the Leafs ahead 1-0 with 4:54 left in the first, but Mike Green tied it 21 seconds later with a low shot after Alex Ovechkin's cross. Brooks Laich put the Capitals up 2-1 56 seconds into the second when he grabbed a misfired clear in front of the net, spun and scored.

PANTHERS 5, THRASHERS 2: Chris Gratton scored twice to help hand visiting Atlanta its seventh consecutive loss. His slap shot from the right circle during a power play tied it at 1 with 6:13 left in the second. Jon Sim gave the Panthers their first lead 5:17 into the third by bringing the puck from behind the net and bouncing it in off goalie Kari Lehtonen. Gratton and Nathan Horton sealed it with empty-net goals.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Coyotes leading scorer Ladislav Nagy will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Friday, Nagy had arthroscopic surgery to repair a partial tear of the lateral meniscus in his right knee and fix a bone defect.

Nagy, who was having the best season of his six-year career with 15 goals and 41 assists, was hurt Jan.23 against Dallas but tried to keep playing.

AVALANCHE: Right wing Milan Hejduk could play today against Detroit, two days after taking a shoulder-to-neck hit from Nashville's Mark Eaton. Coach Joel Quenneville said Hejduk, who has 14 goals and 22 assists in 48 games, was "feeling much better" Friday. However, defenseman Ossi Vaanenen is out indefinitely after surgery Friday for a broken right ankle. Vaanenen, plus-10 in 53 games, was driven into the boards by Nashville's Darcy Hordichuk.

STARS: Defenseman Philippe Boucher will sit out tonight's game against St. Louis because of a sore knee. Boucher, who has 12 goals, is day to day.

[Last modified February 4, 2006, 00:33:08]