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BOX SCORE
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The Toronto Maple Leafs and New
Jersey Devils are still playing each other like it's the playoffs.
Martin Brodeur made two big saves on an overtime power play and
got help from a goalpost as the Devils extended their unbeaten
streak to 11 games with a 4-4 tie on Saturday night in a
hard-hitting game where neither team backed down.
New Jersey beat Toronto 4-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals
last season.
"There were lots of things on the line from an emotion
standpoint," Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn said. "I think there are
a few guys on our team and vice versa that truly don't like each
other. It was a competitive evening that was very entertaining for
everybody."
Devils center Bobby Holik and Maple Leafs forwards Shayne Corson
and Darcy Tucker got into several scuffles. Corson and Devils
rookie defenseman Colin White exchanged big punches 66 seconds into
the game.
"It was really chippy," said Randy McKay, who scored twice for
New Jersey. "We had a hard-fought series last year and those
things tend to carry over. Teams remember things like that, but
those two guys out there (the referees) should have taken charge a
lot better."
Petr Sykora and John Madden also scored for New Jersey, whose
11-game unbeaten streak (7-0-4) is one shy of the NHL best this
season, shared by Phoenix and St. Louis. Scott Gomez had three
assists for the Devils, who beat Toronto in six games in the
Eastern Conference semifinals.
"Playoffs always breed rivalries," said Toronto goaltender
Curtis Joseph, who had 30 saves. "It's a heated rivalry now."
Mats Sundin had a goal and set up Sergei Berezin's game-tying
goal at 9:21 of the third period. Sundin also hit a post flush with
2:50 left in the overtime on a power play called when New Jersey
had too many men on the ice.
"I didn't see it," said Brodeur, who had 24 saves. "Good
thing it hit the post because I wouldn't have known where it was."
Brodeur made a big pad save on Kaberle on the 4-on-3 power play
and a nice glove stop on Danny Markov as the Devils killed off five
Toronto power plays, including another in the final 2:18 of the
third period.
Madden gave the Devils their first lead at 3:12 of the third
period with a 40-foot shot past a screened Joseph.
The Devils fell behind by a goal three times in the first two
periods and came back to tie it.
Sykora tied it at 3-3 with 1:50 left in the second period,
beating Joseph with a shot from the left circle with the teams
playing with four skaters.
Kaberle gave Toronto a 3-2 lead at 13:53 of the second,
converting a nice pass by Gary Roberts.
A couple of Devils' mistakes set up the Maple Leafs' first two
goals.
Manson put Toronto ahead 1-0 at 14:22 of the first on a shot
that developed after Hoglund got a breakaway coming out of the
penalty box.
Alexander Mogilny set up both of McKay's goals, which were both
scored from the edge of the crease. The first came at 2:30 of the
second on a shot that McKay appeared to deflect into the net.
Sundin ended a Devils' string of 43 consecutive penalty kills by
deflecting Hoglund's shot past Brodeur 78 seconds after McKay tied
it.
McKay got his 15th of the season after Toronto defenseman
Dimitri Yushkevich made a couple of mistakes in his own zone
shortly after Maple Leafs' penalty ended.
Game notes
Sundin's power-play goal was the first in 12 games against
the Devils. The league record is 19, set by Chicago in 1969-70. ...
Mogilny has eight points (six goals, two assists) in his last four
games. ... McKay left briefly in the third period after being hit
in the left leg by a shot. ... Berezin has 13 goals, eight in
weekend games.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 4
NY Rangers 1
Montreal 5
Phoenix 2
Toronto 4
New Jersey 4
NY Islanders 6
Pittsburgh 5
Washington 4
Atlanta 1
Philadelphia 4
Florida 1
St. Louis 4
Los Angeles 2
Ottawa 5
Calgary 2
Nashville 5
San Jose 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Toronto's Mats Sundin feeds Sergei Berezin for the game-tying goal.
avi: 532 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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