Elias, Brodeur lead Devils past Canadiens 3-2

[April 24, 2013]  NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Patrik Elias scored his 375th NHL goal, Martin Brodeur made 19 saves for his 669th victory and the New Jersey Devils earned a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

New Jersey, which was eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, dealt a blow to Montreal's hopes of winning the Northeast Division. The Devils (18-18-10) won for the third time in four games following a 10-game losing streak.

The sputtering Canadiens (27-14-5) lost for the fifth time in six games and are tied atop the Northeast with Boston, which has a game in hand.

Elias gave the Devils a 1-0 lead in the first period, Jacob Josefson netted his first of the season in the opening frame, and Steve Sullivan made it 3-0 in the second.

Max Pacioretty and Lars Eller both had second-period goals for Montreal.

The Devils took the lead with a power-play goal. Just 17 seconds after Rene Bourque went off for interference, New Jersey took advantage. Marek Zidlicky sent a pass to Travis Zajac, who found Elias skating in alone on goalie Carey Price. Elias fired a wrist shot past Price for his 14th goal of the season.

The Devils made it 2-0 with an even-strength goal with 2:24 left in the first. Josefson scored off a mad scramble in front, poking the puck past Price. It was Josefson's first goal since March 29, 2012.

New Jersey is 14-1-4 this season in games in which it scored first.

Pacioretty sliced the Canadiens' deficit to 3-1 with a power-play goal just 1:30 after Sullivan scored.

Eller made it 3-2 in the closing seconds of the second when Alex Galchenyuk made a play behind the goal and pushed a backhanded pass to Eller in front with 14 seconds remaining.

NOTES: The Devils gave slumping sophomore center Adam Henrique the night off. Henrique had scored just one goal in 14 games. ... The Devils said defenseman and captain Bryce Salvador will not play in the final three games of the season due to an injured wrist. ... Brodeur considered sitting out, but wanted to play against the Canadiens, the team he rooted for as a youngster.

[Associated Press]

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