Brodeur confirms his brilliance

Devils forward Scott Gomez said it was simply "Marty being Marty."

By JOE SMITH
Published April 23, 2007

TAMPA - Devils forward Scott Gomez said it was simply "Marty being Marty."

In the third period, Martin Brodeur peered through a heavy screen and robbed Ryan Craig of a tying goal with a spectacular glove save. The future Hall of Fame goaltender then briefly held his glove in the air as if to confirm the sight to the disbelieving crowd, which had uttered a collective, "Ohhhh."

Brodeur wasn't perfect Sunday, but when it mattered, the 13-year veteran was impenetrable, closing the door on the Lightning's season with an impressive two-game stretch.

Brodeur stopped 63 of the Lightning's 65 shots in Games 5 and 6, after giving up three goals in each of the first four games.

Brodeur "was the difference in the series," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "I don't think he was totally on his game through the first four games. The opportunity that we had in overtime Game 4, we didn't get it done, but you knew he was going to come up sooner or later."

Once Brad Richards pulled the Lightning to 3-2 on his second power-play goal, Brodeur raised his play, stoning Vinny Prospal and Filip Kuba shots from point-blank range.

"I made some good saves," Brodeur said. "When you go out, you always try to make a difference. It's a goalie's job."

POWERLESS PLAY: Tortorella downplayed the significance of special teams in this series, but the Devils begged to differ.

New Jersey went 2-for-4 with the man advantage Sunday and 7-for-26 (27 percent) in the series, ranking among the best of the league's 16 playoff teams. The Lightning came into the game ranked 13th on the power play. After going 2-for-6 Sunday, Tampa Bay finished 4-for-26 (15 percent).

WEIRD CALL: Of the 18 penalties Sunday, the oddest was when Lightning defenseman Shane O'Brien was called for tripping Travis Zajac, who, on the same play, was called for diving. "It was weird," Lightning forward Andreas Karlsson said. "But it happens."

FEDOTENKO A NO-GO: Tortorella scratched struggling forward Ruslan Fedotenko, inserting defenseman Doug Janik in his place. Fedotenko, who scored one goal in his final 33 games, dressed but didn't play in Game 5 after Tortorella said, "We're not going to die on the vine with him." Fedotenko, an unrestricted free agent, declined to comment.

EXTRA GOALIE: Lightning players commented how they've rarely seen a team block shots as well as the Devils in this series. Defenseman Richard Matvichuk blocked six Sunday (three fewer than the entire Lightning team) for a four-game total of 24. Devils coach Lou Lamoriello credited Matvichuk for picking up the slack for veteran defenseman Colin White, who missed the series' final four games with a sore back.

ODDS AND ENDS: The team scoring first won every game. ... Tampa Bay was 0-31-2 this season when scoring fewer than three goals. ... Devils forward Zach Parise, scoreless in the last two games, still led the series in goals with six. ... Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle finished with one assist. ... St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and USF football coach Jim Leavitt attended Sunday.

[Last modified April 22, 2007, 23:27:46]