NEW JERSEY DEVILS Brodeur's play gives team hope to repeat

The 31-year-old carried eight shutouts into the weekend.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Martin Brodeur holds a special place in his heart for each of his three Stanley Cup championships.
"Every year is its own storybook," he said.
And 2003 was quite a tale.
While dealing with marital problems that became public during the New Jersey Devils' run to their third Stanley Cup title, Brodeur was able to focus enough to post seven shutouts in 24 postseason games.
Following the playoffs, he won his first Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie. The honor came soon after the retirement of Patrick Roy -- the league's most winning goalie and Brodeur's boyhood idol.
Objective
"I just have fun playing the game," Brodeur said. "It's hard for me to start thinking about all these little things that happen to me. I want to move forward in my career, playing a lot of games and winning a lot of games."
New Jersey won its first Stanley Cup in 1995, Brodeur's second season, by sweeping the Detroit Red Wings in the finals.
It would be a five-year wait before the Devils raised the Cup again, this time wresting it from defending champion Dallas. New Jersey rebounded from a 3-1 deficit against Philadelphia in the semifinals.
"In 2000, we had a few years where we had good teams and didn't do anything," Brodeur said. "Coming back in the series and getting ourselves into the Stanley Cup finals again ... that was nice also, being older, helping out younger guys. It makes a difference."
8 shutouts this year
Now, Brodeur might be helping the Devils set up another run at a title. The 31-year-old goalie had eight shutouts this season and four in seven games heading into the weekend.
He has put himself in position to challenge the post-expansion shutout record of 15 in a season, but personal accomplishments are secondary.
"Automatically, if we do have some success then a lot of things will happen for me," he said. "I don't want to start thinking about these things too much because that's where you get overwhelmed. We have a job to do."
Peter Laviolette wasn't out of work for long.
After being dismissed as coach of the New York Islanders in June, following a second straight trip to the playoffs, Laviolette took over the Carolina Hurricanes this week following Paul Maurice's firing.
"I certainly am fortunate to be back this quick and to get another crack at this. There are a lot of good coaches out there," said Laviolette, who won his Hurricanes debut Thursday.