Brodeur and Devils Shut Down Thrashers

The improving Atlanta Thrashers still have a long way to go to match the New Jersey Devils.

John Madden scored twice and Martin Brodeur had 19 saves in posting his third shutout of the season as the Devils won for the first time in three games by beating the Thrashers, 4-0, on Monday night at East Rutherford, N.J.

“If you want to move up in the standings you have to beat these teams,” Brodeur said. “The teams that are under you, you have to go in and be ready and not let it slip away. You have to win the games you’re supposed to win and tonight was one of them.”

Sergei Nemchinov and Alexander Mogilny also scored as the Devils prevented the second-year Thrashers from reaching the .500 mark for the first time in their history.

Atlanta had won two in a row and five of their last six coming into the game, but remained winless in six games (0-5-1) against New Jersey over the last two seasons.

“We just had no juice tonight,” Thrasher Coach Curt Fraser said. “The guys were working their tails off but they just had no jump in their step.”

The Devils dominated from the outset as Atlanta struggled in its third game in four nights.

Apparent goals by Scott Gomez and Jay Pandolfo were waved off, and only an outstanding job in goal by Scott Frankhouser (40 saves) made the score respectable.

Tampa Bay 2, Colorado 2--Mike Johnson scored 20 seconds into a late-game power play to help the Lightning secure a tie at Denver.

Chris Drury and Ray Bourque had goals for the Avalanche, which had its three-game winning streak end but remained unbeaten in its last 10 home games (8-0-2).

Colorado led 2-1 before Stephane Yelle was called for hooking Vincent Lecavalier with 3:16 remaining in the third period.

The Lightning quickly capitalized as Johnson pushed a shot from the slot past Avs goalie David Aebischer. The shot came after Colorado defenseman Aaron Miller failed to clear the puck.

Around the League

Montreal goalie Jeff Hackett will return Wednesday against the Calgary Flames after missing 21 games because of a broken right hand. . . . Toronto traded right wing Dmitri Khristich to the Washington Capitals for a third-round 2001 draft pick. The Maple Leafs also learned that top-line forward Steve Thomas will be sidelined for at least six weeks after undergoing knee surgery. . . . The Florida Panthers were awarded the 2003 All-Star Game.