In sports, every aging star always wants that one more time in the sun.  Sometimes father time catches up with them before that happens, or they hang around too long.  In the case of Martin Brodeur, he’s on the last year of his contract at 41 years old and almost countless games played behind him.  With the Devils only having two trips to Montreal this season, and last night being the second, it could possibly have been Marty’s last game in his hometown…unless perhaps a playoff matchup is in the offing.  Going into last night’s game, Marty had a 19-9-2 record at the Bell Centre, with a 1.66 GAA, .939 save percentage and five shutouts.  He’s always brought out his best in front of family and friends and last night proved to be no exception.  Brodeur made 29 stops in the game, only allowing a first period goal by Max Pacioretty, and not only got the first star in the Devils’ 4-1 win but also the game puck from team captain Bryce Salvador and a green jacket from Marek Zidlicky (apparently a new team tradition where the player of the game gets the green jacket).  Not to mention a thunderous standing ovation from a divided crowd after the game, rooting for the Habs for sure but always respectful and loving of their native son.

Of course, Marty wasn’t the only fortysomething making news for the Devils last night, as Jaromir Jagr snapped a rare 10-game goal drought with a move maybe only he could make, passing the puck to himself with his skate and cutting back inside to beat Carey Price with a wrister.  Jagr’s game-tying marker at 17:23 of the first was his 695th career goal, putting him seventh on the all-time list ahead of Mark Messier.  If Marty created a stir recently suggesting he might want to come back next year and maybe not for the Devils depending on circumstances, Jagr’s assertions that he is looking to play till he’s 70 are mostly met with a chuckle.  Although Jagr probably is deadly serious about wanting to play in the 2018 Olympics…with the shape he keeps himself in would that really surprise anyone at this rate, even with him being 46 at that stage?

If the Devils are going to sustain a playoff run though, they need more than the geriatric legends producing for them.  Although Montreal native Eric Gelinas playing his second career game in Montreal wasn’t quite as big a story as the legend’s possible last game, he had enough family and friends there to get scattered applause when he did what he does best – scoring on a power play rocket bomb at 1:20 of the second period for his fifth goal of the season.  True, Gelinas only played a shade over eight minutes last night as coach Pete DeBoer continued with his recent trend of playing seven D (though I suspect that goofiness will end with the anticipated return of Patrik Elias Thursday), but at least he made the most of it in front of family and friends.  Less than three minutes later, the Devils balooned their lead to 3-1 when Adam Henrique scored his 12th of the season after a Michael Ryder point shot was banged at in front, first by Ryane Clowe, then by Henrique to finish it off.  Perhaps the most important part of the Devils’ 3-0-2 stretch in their last five games is finding a legitimate second line that works in Clowe-Henrique-Ryder.  With the first line of Zubrus-Zajac-Jagr fully intact since early in the season, it does beg the question what happens with Elias when he returns?  Most likely he’ll start out on a line with Stephen Gionta and Steve Bernier again, as a de facto checking line with offensive potential.  Especially with prized rookie Reid Boucher getting the Gelinas treatment and only playing a shade over seven minutes.  Hopefully the return of Damien Brunner isn’t far behind, maybe then the Devils could really have three lines rolling at that point.

With a two-goal lead seemingly for the first time since the Bush administration, the Devils for once clamped down and there would be few dramatics the rest of the game other save after save from Marty and Brendan Gallagher‘s disallowed goal later in the second period.  Initially it was ruled a good goal on the ice but the boys in Toronto overturned the officials on that one, due to a clear kicking motion.  After a few cold games, the Jagr line returned to dominant form last night, causing some consternation in the crowd during a particularly long cycling display during the third period.  And Danius Zubrus‘s empty-netter gave that line a second goal to match the Newfie+Henrique line with their two goals in a rare 4-1 win.  Not only are the Devils 3-0-2 in their last five but also very quietly 8-3-4 in their last fifteen, and with both goalies playing well and no back-to-backs on the docket till the end of the month, Pete’s going to have some interesting decisions coming up.  Arguably the pick one guy and stick with him decision we’ve had to make has been offset with our league-leading number of back-to-backs but it can’t be ignored anymore, especially with numbers like this:

1. Schneider (last seven games):  3-2-2, 195 SF, 181 SA, .928 save%
2. Brodeur (last eight games):  5-1-2, 212 SF, 195 SA, .920 save%

Considering Cory just got us five points in three games with a grand total of five goals in goal support he probably deserves the next start in Colorado, though at this rate I could actually see the split in games continuing into March.  Especially since the insane split in goal support for the two goalies is continuing through January.  Like Steve Cangelosi on the postgame, I also think each goalie gets one game on this mini-two game West Coast swing.  I also think Marty’ll get one start at home next week to make sure he’s ready for the outdoor game at Yankee Stadium, which he’s most assuredly playing in.

Whatever the case at least Marty had one more shining moment in Montreal last night if nothing else this season.