Brodeur To Start Game 4 Against Panthers
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSMiami) – The Florida Panthers have given New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur a shellacking in the last two games, so much so that he was pulled from Game 3. But the Devils aren't ready to move on from Brodeur just yet.
According to the North Jersey Record, Brodeur will be starting between the pipes when Florida and New Jersey square off for Game 4 Thursday night. Brodeur was yanked after giving up three goals on just 12 shots from the Panthers.
Brodeur is nearing the end of his career and in the past few seasons hasn't been able to push the Devils over the proverbial hump, no matter how well he played.
Since 2008, Brodeur is 6-13 in playoff games with one shutout in the 2008-2009 season. Brodeur is also stopping just less than 90 percent of the shots against him, which is the lowest rate he's had over a multi-year run for the Devils in the playoffs.
If the Panthers can keep the pressure up on Brodeur, this might end up being his final playoff run. He will turn 40-years-old on May 6.
The Panthers have been making New Jersey pay anytime they go on the power play in the playoff series. Florida is scoring 60 percent of the time they are on the power play and are killing Devils power play opportunities at an 82 percent clip.
Interestingly enough, the Devils had the top penalty-killing unit during the regular season.
Florida had to yank their own goalie Tuesday night after Jose Theodore gave up three goals in the first period. He was replaced by Scott Clemmensen who proceeded to stone the Devils not allowing a goal in the final two periods.
Ironically, the last time Brodeur was pulled from a game, he was replaced Clemmensen.
Florida hasn't announced who will start at goalie for Game 4, but Clemmensen said he'd be ready.
"I don't know, I'm not expecting to start," he said. "I think that both of us have the qualifications to start the next game. I'm not going to anticipate anything. I'm just going to be ready if it is me."
Florida's victory Tuesday night set a franchise record for the largest comeback in playoff history and the three power-play goals were a playoff record for the Panthers.
