New Jersey goalie

Martin Brodeur

frustrates Montreal.
By The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Martin Brodeur made 21 saves to match his career high with 10 shutouts in the New Jersey Devils’ 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.

Brodeur is just five shy of the NHL modern-era record of 15 shutouts set by Chicago’s Tony Esposito in 1969-70.

Patrik Elias scored a short-handed goal and set up a power-play tally by Grant Marshall for the Devils.

Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore had 22 saves, including a third-period stop on a penalty shot by Marshall.

The loss snapped the Canadiens’ five-game (4-0-1) unbeaten streak and prevented Montreal from moving ahead of New Jersey in the standings.

Brodeur, 25-10-4 with six shutouts against his hometown team, didn’t face much work until the third period, when the Canadiens had 12 shots.

Islanders 3, Hurricanes 2

RALEIGH, N.C. – Trent Hunter had a goal and two assists, and Rick Dipietro made 25 saves in the New York Islanders’ 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.

Michael Peca and Justin Papineau also scored to help the Islanders to their first road win in January. New York’s previous road win came in a 6-1 victory in Pittsburgh on Dec. 31.

Sean Hill had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Justin Williams, acquired from Philadelphia on Tuesday, added a power-play goal in the third period. Ron Francis assisted on Williams’ goal and played in his 1,700th NHL game.

Panthers 4, Capitals 1

SUNRISE, Fla. – Donald Audette scored two power-play goals to reach 500th career points, and the Florida Panthers beat Washington 4-1 on Friday night just hours after the Capitals traded star Jaromir Jagr to the New York Rangers.

The Capitals and Rangers completed the deal before the game, with Jagr going to New York in exchange for Aaron Carter.

The Panthers snapped a two-game losing skid, both at home, and won for only the second time in their last six, while Washington has dropped two straight overall and five in a row on the road.

Stars 2, Blues 0

DALLAS – Marty Turco stopped 33 shots for his 16th career shutout to help the Dallas Stars open a key stretch of the season with a 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.

Aaron Downey scored his first goal of the season late in the opening period, and Phillippe Boucher added a power-play goal with 3:35 remaining.

Dallas will play four of its next five games at home as it tries to gain ground on the first-place San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division. The Stars killed a two-man power play late in the second period and early in the third.

Niko Kapanen was given a double-minor for high-sticking at 18:12 of the second and teammate Sergei Zubov was whistled for hooking 28 seconds later. Turco responded with a series of sharp saves to keep the Blues scoreless.

The Stars missed a prime scoring opportunity midway through the second period when Mike Modano’s penalty shot hit the left goal post. Modano had broken in on the left side and was tripped by St. Louis defenseman Alexander Khavanov as Modano drove hard to the net, giving Modano the penalty shot.

Dallas, 9-4-4 in its last 17 games, killed all six St. Louis power plays.

Chris Osgood stopped 18 shots for the Blues, 5-9-4 in their last 18 games.

Dallas took a 1-0 lead at 16:40 of the first period on Downey’s deflection of Jon Klemm’s shot that went in off Osgood’s glove.

Downey has three career goals in 104 games.

Turco stopped all 12 shots he faced in the first period, including a point-blank save against Keith Tkachuk with 50 seconds left in the period while Blues were on a power play.

Boucher added his fourth of the season on a shot from the left circle that got past a screened Osgood.

Notes: Stars RW Scott Young missed his third straight game because of back spasms. … Modano has failed to convert all three of his career penalty shots. … Dallas’ last penalty shot came on Nov. 6, 2002, when Brenden Morrow converted.

AP-ES-01-23-04 2308EST