Devils Set Record for Road Wins

The New Jersey Devils are now the NHL’s all-time road warriors.

Martin Brodeur made 27 saves and Brendan Morrison had three assists, and the Devils defeated Nashville Predators, 4-1, Saturday night to set an NHL record with their 28th road victory.

“When you have success on the road, that’s where you have the most fun when you go out with the boys,” said Brodeur, who gained his league-leading 39th victory. “It’s been a transition year for me a little bit compared to the past years, but I really enjoyed myself.”

New Jersey, which clinched its third consecutive Eastern Conference title when second-place Ottawa tied Carolina earlier in the evening, broke the record of 27 road victories the Montreal Canadiens established in 1976-77 and again in 1977-78. Brodeur also tied ex-Canadien Ken Dryden’s 1975-76 NHL record of 25 road victories for a goaltender.

The Predators closed out a remarkable inaugural season with a record of 28-47-7, the third-best mark of the six 1990s NHL expansion clubs. It was the sixth consecutive home sellout for Nashville, which managed only one in its first nine home games. Mike Dunham made 36 saves for the Predators.

Edmonton 3, Calgary 2--Mike Grier scored two goals as the playoff-bound Oilers concluded their regular season and extended their undefeated streak to a season-high six games with a victory over the Flames at Edmonton.

Grier’s goals, the second while short-handed, raised his season total to 20.

Vladimir Vorobiev also scored for the Oilers in his second consecutive game since being recalled Wednesday from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL.

Chicago 3, Detroit 2--It was Chris Chelios’ homecoming at Chicago, but it was Tony Amonte who stole the show with a third period goal to snap a 2-2 tie and spoil Chelios’ return for Detroit.

Amonte, shooting from between the circles, beat Chris Osgood high on the glove side two minutes into the final period.

Chelios, a Chicago native who spent 8 1/2 years with the Hawks, was traded March 23 and then signed to a two-year, $11-million extension, a deal the Blackhawks wouldn’t offer. He was cheered and booed throughout the night on the United Center.

Florida 6, Tampa Bay 2--After a 56-game goal-scoring drought, Kirk Muller scored twice and added an assist to lead the Panthers to a victory over the Lighting in the season finale for both teams at Sunrise, Fla.

Muller scored in the first and second periods to help the Panthers take a 3-0 lead.

Montreal 3, Toronto 2--Brian Savage scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and the Canadiens closed a disappointing season with a victory over the playoff-bound Maple Leafs at Montreal.

Jason Dawe and Martin Rucinsky also scored for Montreal, which won the season series, 3-2. The Canadiens finished with a 32-39-11 record, 11th overall in the Eastern Conference.

The Maple Leafs finished one of their best seasons at 45-30-7 and fourth in the East. Toronto’s 97 points were only two shy of the franchise record set in 1992-93 in an 84-game schedule.

Carolina 1, Ottawa 1--Bates Battaglia’s second-period goal gave the Hurricanes a tie with the Senators at Greensboro, N.C., eliminating the Senators from the top playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa needed a victory against Carolina and a New Jersey loss to secure the No. 1 spot in the conference, but the Hurricanes were able to produce their franchise-record 24th tie of the season. Carolina finished 1-5-18 in those games.

Phoenix 2, Dallas 0--Robert Reichel and Stephen Leach scored and Nikolai Khabibulin notched his eighth shutout as the Coyotes defeated the Stars at Phoenix in a season finale clouded by the jaw injury sustained by Coyote center Jeremy Roenick the last time they played.

The NHL suspended Stars’ defenseman Derian Hatcher for seven games because of his season-ending blow to Roenick’s head last Wednesday.

Although Hatcher denied his hit was any attempt at retaliation for a March 23 incident when Roenick hit Dallas center Mike Modano, he broke Roenick’s jaw in three places with an elbow.

Boston 2, Buffalo 1--Hal Gill scored only his third goal of the season, a shot from just inside center ice, with 13 seconds left in overtime to lift the Bruins to a victory over the Sabres at Boston.

Gill’s goal gave Boston its fifth consecutive victory at home and ensured the Bruins at least a sixth place finish in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.

New York Islanders 7, Pittsburgh 2--Ziggy Palffy scored three goals, including two short-handed in less than a minute, as the Islanders ended a dismal season by defeating the reeling Penguins at Pittsburgh.

The Penguins, which will end the regular season today against the New York Rangers in Wayne Gretzky’s final game, are 1-8-2 in their last 11.

Jaromir Jagr scored twice for Pittsburgh to raise his goal total to 43 and increase his NHL-leading point total to 126.