Leafs Playoff Chances Slimmed With Loss To Devils

Zach Parise scored twice and Martin Brodeur made 40 saves as the New Jersey Devils beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 Tuesday night, damaging the home team’s stubborn and likely futile playoff drive.

David Clarkson and Brian Gionta also scored for the Devils (38-23-6), who snapped a three-game winless streak (0-2-1).

Nik Antropov scored the lone goal for the Maple Leafs (29-29-10), who had picked up nine of a possible 10 points in their last five games to re-ignite playoff hopes in Canada’s largest city. They remained six points out of the eighth and final spot after Philadelphia dropped a 5-2 decision to Buffalo on Tuesday night, but the ninth-place Sabres picked up two points to move five ahead of Toronto.

Boston (77 points) and the New York Rangers (77 points) also picked up single points on the night while the New York Islanders (71 points) and Florida Panthers (68 points) recorded victories. The Leafs (68 points) simply can’t afford too many more nights without points.

Vesa Toskala made his 19th consecutive start in goal for Toronto but wasn’t quite as sharp as he had been of late, giving up four goals on 25 shots.

The Devils remained fourth in the Eastern Conference because of Pittsburgh’s 2-0 win at Tampa Bay. The conference-leading Penguins are one point ahead of the Devils in the Atlantic Division.

The Leafs outshot the Devils 14-5 in the opening period but were down 1-0 after Parise whipped around from behind the net and blasted a shot that beat Toskala on the far side at 11:22. It was his team-leading 26th goal of the season.

New Jersey made it 2-0 when Gionta slid home a rebound on a Devils power play 5:11 into the second period. The goal zapped the energy out of the Air Canada Centre, the home fans knowing full well how the Devils protect two-goal leads.

But the home team did not go away quiet, Antropov pounding a rebound from in-close over Brodeur after an elegant rush from Tomas Kaberle, the goal with 3:13 left in the middle period bringing fans out of their seats and suddenly the miracle playoff push had hope again.

The Leafs continued to press in the third period but couldn’t find the equalizer against the future Hall of Famer Brodeur.

Then New Jersey slammed the door shut at 9:21, Clarkson finishing off a 2-on-1 break after a nifty pass from John Madden. No way Toronto was going to tie this game now with Brodeur at his best.

Parise made it 4-1 just 1:31 later, his 27th on the season a one-timer into an open side.