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BOX SCORE
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Mario Lemieux was reduced to
shooting pucks at Devils. Jaromir Jagr was nearly invisible, and Petr Sykora came up big for New Jersey.
The opener of the Eastern Conference finals went exactly the way
the defending champion New Jersey Devils wanted against the weary,
and now frustrated Pittsburgh Penguins.
|  | | Devils goalie Martin Brodeur didn't face many shots, making just 14 saves for the Game 1 win Saturday. |
"They were fatigued, so it's tough," Devils captain Scott
Stevens said in downplaying New Jersey's 3-1 victory Saturday
night. "We want to play a discouraging game, not give them life,
not give them chances and we did that."
Just how well the Devils controlled the Penguins was impressive.
For the third time in these playoffs, Lemieux failed to register
a shot on goal, and Jagr had only one.
Lemieux said the Penguins ran out of gas playing just 45 hours
after eliminating Buffalo in overtime on Thursday night.
"Any time you are not up to par, it's easier to defend against
us," Lemieux said. "But as I have said before, we are playing a
great team, a great defensive team. They are the champs and they
are the champs for a reason."
Not only do the Devils play well defensively, they have an
outstanding No. 1 line with Sykora, Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott.
Elias set up Sykora for the go-ahead and insurance goals in
giving New Jersey the early edge in the best-of-seven series.
"I don't think we played our best hockey," Elias said. "But
once again we scored at the right time and got the win."
Randy McKay also scored and goalie Martin Brodeur had an easy
night after a busy first eight minutes.
Martin Straka scored for Pittsburgh.
"I felt we played pretty good the first period, after that
we're done," Jagr said.
Game 2 is Tuesday night.
The Penguins will have to show a lot more if they want to
advance.
Lemieux was so frustrated early in the third period, he
seemingly aimed a slap shot at the sideboards in the direction of
Devils forward John Madden, who was checking the Pittsburgh star's
line all night.
Madden said to ask Lemieux what happened on the play, but he
liked the fact that Super Mario seemed to be frustrated.
"If that's what it is, it's a good sign for us," Madden said.
"I highly doubt it. Maybe he was trying to clear it out of play
and get a whistle. All I can say is if he did make contact with the
puck, it would have hit me somewhere."
The only Penguin who played well was rookie goalie Johan
Hedberg, who made 18 saves.
The only easy goal he gave up was to McKay on a slap shot.
Sykora got the winner and an insurance goal in a 4:16 span
bridging the second and third period.
The winner came when he put the rebound of Elias' shot into a
virtually open net. The goal that broke the Penguins' back came at
1:20 of third period when he took a pass from Elias and fired a
one-timer into the net.
The Penguins tested Brodeur in the final minute after pulling
Hedberg, but the closest any came to scoring was on Brodeur's
length of the ice shot.
Just as they did in Game 7 against Toronto, the Devils got off
to a slow start, gave up the first goal and then slowly by surely
took control.
The power play was the difference in this game, and Kevin
Stevens was the goat both times for the Penguins.
With Pittsburgh up 1-0, Kevin Stevens gave the Devils a power
play by holding the stick of defenseman Ken Daneyko behind the
Devils' net.
McKay converted the opportunity by scoring on a quick
counterattack with a slap shot from the top of the left circle.
Hedberg never reacted to the shot, possibly because Penguins
defenseman Darius Kasparaitis went down to block it and may have
screened the goaltender.
Kevin Stevens got his second penalty at 15:47 of the second
period for interfering with Bobby Holik in the neutral zone.
"When they start protecting Bobby Holik it's time to
move on," Kevin Stevens said of the call by referee Kerry Fraser.
Sykora put the Devils ahead after Hedberg made a nice save on a
deflection in close by Elias. The puck bounced free and Sykora put
the rebound into a virtually open net.
A foolish penalty on Colin White for interference allowed the
Penguins to take the lead early in the first period.
Andrew Ference and Kevin Stevens gained control of the puck at
the right point. Kevin Stevens eventually sent a cross-ice pass to
Straka and he powered a 35-foot foot off Brodeur's pad into the net
at 3:06.
Jagr came within inches of making it 2-0 about four minutes
later, but his shot clanged off the outside of the goalpost.
Game notes
Pittsburgh is 0-3 in the opening games of playoff series in
New Jersey. The Penguins have gone on to win three of the four
playoffs series with the Devils. ... Kevin Stevens of the Penguins
and Scott Stevens of the Devils mixed it up in the opening minutes.
... McKay's goal was his 20th in 118 career playoff games. ... It
also was Straka's 20th goal in 78 postseason games. ... New Jersey
has scored power-play goals in seven straight playoff games.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
Penguins-Devils Series Page
Drehs: Pens feel the pain vs. the Devils
Drehs: Sykora's scoring touch returns for Devils
Kevin Stevens' penalties prove costly for Penguins
Niedermayer, Brylin might play for Devils on Tuesday
RECAPS
Colorado 4
St. Louis 1
New Jersey 3
Pittsburgh 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Petr Sykora knocks in a rebound, putting the Devils ahead 2-1 in the second period.
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Pittsburgh's Martin Straka blasts a slap shot past Martin Brodeur for the opening goal.
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Randy McKay scores a Devils' power-play goal on an unassisted wrist shot.
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The Devils increase their lead as Patrik Elias sets up Petr Sykora for his second goal of the game.
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 ESPN's Joe Micheletti catches up with Petr Sykora after the Devils' victory over Pittsburgh.
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Kevin Stevens doesn't plan on changing his aggressive style.
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