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  Saturday, Dec. 4 7:30pm ET
Flames put end to Devils' home streak
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The Calgary Flames are not only starting to win games, they're winning them where nobody else can.

Cory Stillman scored for the fifth straight game and Fred Brathwaite made 37 saves as the Flames defeated New Jersey 4-2 Saturday night, ending the Devils' 12-game home unbeaten streak.

Fred Brathwaite
Calgary's Fred Brathwaite stops the Devils' Petr Sykora during the first period Saturday for one of his 37 saves on the night.
"At the start of the year, we were giving up way too many goals," said Jarome Iginla, who also scored as the Flames won for the fifth time in seven games. "Then we got into a stretch where were shutting them down but losing 2-1. Right now, we're starting to get goals and shut teams down, which is a good combination."

Andrei Nazarov and Martin St. Louis also scored for the Flames, who shut out the New York Islanders 5-0 on Thursday night.

"We have some pretty good skill players, but it all comes from playing well defensively," Brathwaite said.

"It feels good to beat a team like New Jersey," he added. "We scored on our chances, but defense was the key tonight."

The loss was the Devils' first at the Continental Airlines Arena since their home opener against Pittsburgh on Oct. 7. They were 10-0-2 since, including a 7-4 win over Ottawa on Friday night when they posted a season-high for goals.

"Brathwaite had a great game," Devils rookie Scott Gomez said. "The rebounds were there, but I guess we just didn't get the bounces like yesterday. But there were times we did get the rebound and he made a lot of great saves."

New Jersey has played on consecutive nights six times this season, and lost on the second night every time. They are 5-1 in the first game of those sets.

"It seems the other teams are more rested than us on those nights and they are taking advantage of our mistakes, especially tonight," Devils center Bobby Holik said. "Calgary was a very disciplined team and they just waited for us to give it to them, and we did."

The Flames took the lead for good with their first shot against Martin Brodeur. Jason Wiemer forced a turnover by Scott Stevens behind the net and St. Louis got the puck and found Stillman alone in front for his 11th goal at 6:53.

Iginla stole Scott Niedermayer's pass at center ice and beat Brodeur with a shot from just inside the blue line with 25 seconds left in the opening period.

Nazarov scored 74 seconds into the second period with a backhanded deflection of Iginla's shot. St. Louis got his first of the season and second of his career by taking a behind-the-back pass from Stillman and beating Brodeur, who faced 22 shots.

Stevens spoiled Brathwaite's bid for a second straight shutout with a shot from the left point at 3:33 of the third period. Niedermayer scored with 11 seconds to go.

Brathwaite was outstanding in the second period, stopping Patrik Elias, Randy McKay and Claude Lemieux on shots right in front of the net. He faced 32 shots in the final 40 minutes.

 


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