Devils blank the Panthers to tie series

Martin Brodeur bounced back from his shortest postseason performance with a record-setting 24th Stanley Cup playoff shutout, leading the host New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers Thursday night, tying their first-round series at 2-all. Brodeur made 26 saves in taking over sole possession of the postseason shutout mark from Patrick Roy. The 39-year-old goaltender also added his second assist of the series, giving him 10 for his career, four behind all-time leader Grant Fuhr. The effort came two days after Brodeur was lifted after giving up three goals in 22 minutes, 18 seconds in a 4-3 loss. Zach Parise, Steve Bernier, Travis Zajac, and Ilya Kovalchuk scored for New Jersey. Game 5 of the best-of-7 series will be Saturday in Florida. Brodeur made at least six outstanding saves in winning his 101st career postseason game, while seemingly benefiting from some early luck when Sean Bergenheim hit a goalpost. Another difference in this game was the special teams. Florida, which was 6 of 10 on the power play in the first three games, failed to connect on six chances with the extra man, while the Devils converted twice. Florida had an excuse of sorts. Defenseman Jason Garrison, one of the quarterbacks of the Panthers' power play, was sidelined with a lower-back injury. Capitals even series Playoff rookie Braden Holtby followed up a shaky outing with a superb one by making 44 saves, and Alexander Semin scored the go-ahead goal, leading the host Washington Capitals to a 2-1 victory over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins that tied the first-round series at two games apiece. Marcus Johansson put the puck past Tim Thomas less than 11/2 minutes after the opening faceoff, but Boston's Rich Peverley tied it later in the first period. Semin put Washington ahead for good with 1:17 left in the second on a power-play goal, his second score of the series. The best-of-seven Eastern Conference series shifts back to Boston for Game 5 on Saturday. Game 6 will be in Washington on Sunday. Quenneville fined The NHL fined Chicago coach Joel Quenneville $10,000 for criticizing officials after the Blackhawks' overtime loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night. Quenneville criticized the game officials for failing to call a penalty on Raffi Torres after the Phoenix forward left his feet and hit Marian Hossa in the neck and head area in Game 3. Hossa was carried off the ice on a stretcher and is out indefinitely. The NHL suspended Torres indefinitely Wednesday for the hit. "It was a brutal hit," Quenneville said after the game. "I saw exactly what happened. It was right in front of me. How four guys missed it was hard. The refereeing tonight was a disgrace." Quenneville also was fined $10,000 during the 2009 playoffs for criticizing the officiating.