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VANCOUVER — The New Jersey Devils ventured out of the Eastern time zone for the first time this NHL season, only to find western hospitality anything but to their liking last night.
The Northeast Division leaders were blitzed 5-0 by the Vancouver Canucks, a team that should have been weary after playing its past eight games in different cities covering three time zones.
And it was supposed to be a matchup of Canada's top goaltenders for the next Winter Olympics, in 2010. It was no contest, though, as Vancouver's Roberto Luongo made all the difficult saves, while Marty Brodeur of the Devils had difficulty with making saves after travelling west on Monday.
Brodeur was beaten by Aaron Miller (his first goal in four years), Ryan Kesler, Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund (twice) in New Jersey's first visit to General Motors Place in nearly six years.
Canucks forward Trevor Linden beats Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur on this shot. (Jonathan Hayward/CP)
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- New Jersey Devils
- Vancouver Canucks
- Martin Brodeur
- Sergei Brylin
- Brian Gionta
- Ryan Kesler
- Trevor Linden
- Roberto Luongo
- John Madden
- Aaron Miller
- Markus Naslund
- Daniel Sedin
- Vitaly Vishnevski
- Travis Zajac
Before the game, Canucks defenceman Willie Mitchell, who broke into the league with the Devils, figured it would be a challenge for Vancouver to be sharp after travelling for much of the first half of December.
"We're all so happy to be home, we might be a little bit complacent," Mitchell said. "When you get back, sometimes it's more a mental game than a physical game.
"That's something we're going to try and concentrate on. Maybe we'll rejuvenate a bit being around our families."
That they did, with Luongo providing the spark with his fifth shutout of the season. Brodeur still holds a career 13-5 advantage on Luongo, but the margin is changing.
The Devils, undisciplined at best against Vancouver, get to regroup before playing two more games in Western Canada, tomorrow against the Edmonton Oilers and on Sunday against the Calgary Flames.
Luongo returned to the Vancouver net after missing four games with sore ribs from a shot. He was tested in the first 15 seconds by Travis Zajac after a turnover in the Canucks' zone. Luongo used a poke-check to deny Zajac.
The Canucks forged an early lead when Miller shocked fans by scoring his first goal since Nov. 27, 2003, against the Phoenix Coyotes, when Miller was with the Los Angeles Kings.
Henrik Sedin won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Miller's point shot beat Brodeur with a carom into the net off the far goal post at 2:16.
New Jersey controlled most of the first period with determined work along the boards in the Vancouver zone. Luongo faced 11 shots and several others barely went wide. The Devils jammed the goal crease at every opportunity, especially winger David Clarkson, in trying to distract Luongo and the Vancouver defence.
The Canucks scored three times in the second period on 10 shots to take control despite being outshot 15-10.
Kesler blocked a point shot by Colin White and raced into the clear early in the second. Brodeur stopped the first shot, but Kesler managed to poke the rebound into the net on his backhand while sliding into the end boards at 1:09.
Linden scored off a rush at 2:43 with a rising shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that went into the net off Brodeur's arm to the short side.
Naslund finished off a pretty three-way passing play with the Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik, at 8:51, with Daniel's pass to the far goal post providing Naslund with an open net for his 12th goal of the season, ending a nine-game goal drought for the Canucks' captain.
Vancouver fans gave injured centre Brendan Morrison a huge ovation midway through the second period during a television timeout. Morrison waved appreciatively from the press box in acknowledging that his consecutive-game iron-man streak of 542 had ended.
The Canucks again used newcomer Jason Jaffray at centre in an offensive role with wingers Taylor Pyatt and Mason Raymond, replacing veteran Morrison, out for three months after wrist surgery late last week.
Jaffray, 26, from Rimby, Alta., played his first NHL game last week and scored against the Anaheim Ducks. He was recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL after Morrison continued to have problems with his right wrist, injured before the season.
Special to The Globe and Mail
