MONTREAL // Martin Brodeur tied Patrick Roy's NHL goalies career record of 551 wins when he led the New Jersey Devils to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Brodeur was as steady as ever in making 22 saves in Montreal against Roy's former team, with the Hall of Famer looking on. Brodeur has earned seven wins in eight starts after a 50-game absence caused by the first serious injury of his career. He will get his first chance at setting the record on tomorrow at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.
"To look around and see the guys reacting ... I finally did it," he said. As his father, former Canadiens team photographer Denis Brodeur, watched from a front-row seat, Brodeur caught up to the goalie he idolised as a child. The capacity crowd of 21,273 chanted the name of the native son when time ran out, and Brodeur's father wiped away a tear. "The only one I knew where he was sitting was my dad. He had a pretty good seat," Brodeur said. Brodeur, who was surrounded by his teammates, did a double fist pump and raised his stick to the crowd in appreciation after his 986th regular-season NHL game.
"The recognition from the fans was tremendous and something I will never forget," he said. In 1986, Brodeur cheered Roy at the Canadiens' Stanley Cup parade along St Catherine Street. Roy returned the favour by going to see Brodeur. "He visited me at the hotel before I came over here and he wished me good luck," Brodeur said. "That was really nice of him. He's busy with his junior team so for him to take time, I really appreciate it."
Brodeur has 100 clean sheets, only three behind Terry Sawchuk's career NHL mark of 103. Also reaching milestones were Patrik Elias, who had a goal and assist to tie John MacLean's Devils record of 701 points, and Brian Rolston, who scored his 300th goal as both New Jersey veterans scored with the man advantage in the first. * AP