Jagr returns, but Devils blank Rangers for 3-0 series lead
Apr 26th, 2006 | by CousinPaulie | Posted in personal, sports | Comments Off
NEW YORK (AP) — Martin Brodeur made the heads of the New York Rangers sag as low as Jaromir Jagr’s achy shoulder.
The goaltender’s job got a lot easier when Patrik Elias wrecked the long-awaited playoff party at Madison Square Garden just over a minute into the game.
Brodeur stopped 25 shots in his 21st career playoff shutout and Elias had a goal and assist within the first nine minutes to lift the Devils to a 3-0 victory Wednesday night that pushed Jagr and the Rangers to the brink of playoff elimination.
Elias set up Jamie Langenbrunner 68 seconds after the opening faceoff and then scored his third goal of the series eight minutes later. Brodeur did the rest in shutting down an already struggling Rangers offense.
The return of the injured Jagr didn’t help at all, and the Devils won their 14th straight game.
“He is a tremendous hockey player so you’ve got to know if he is going to play or not,” said Brodeur, who is two shutouts behind Patrick Roy for the NHL career record. “Regardless of him being there 100 percent or not there, it doesn’t change the approach of our game.”
New Jersey took advantage of New York’s deficient special teams in winning the opening two games of the series and then built a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup by scoring three goals at even strength.
Not even the unexpected return of Jagr, who is battling a left shoulder injury, could spark the Rangers in their first home playoff game in nine years. Petr Sykora came the closest to scoring but he hit the post — for the second straight game — when facing an open net in the second period.
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Jagr sat out Game 2 after he was hurt late in the opening loss at New Jersey and said it would take a miracle for him to be ready to play Wednesday. Mission accomplished, but that was nothing compared to what the Rangers will need to rally in this series.
Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD NJD NYR
1:08 Jamie Langenbrunner
Assists: Patrik Elias, Brian Rafalski 1 0
9:20 Patrik Elias
Assists: Jamie Langenbrunner, David Hale 2 0
2ND PERIOD NJD NYR
2:48 Zach Parise
Assists: Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez 3 0
3RD PERIOD NJD NYR
No scoring this period 3 0
Arena: Madison Square Garden
Location: New York, New York
Referees: Tim Peel, Don VanMassenhoven
Linesmen: Scott Driscoll, Thor Nelson
