The Avalanche on Saturday discovered how the New Jersey Devils managed to climb all the way up to the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Devils earned it.
Despite losing Scott Gomez to the New York Rangers and defenseman Brian Rafalski to Detroit in unrestricted free agency last summer, the Devils — as has been their pattern — shrugged it off and kept plugging along. Their 4-2 victory over the Avalanche on Saturday, in their first appearance in the Pepsi Center since November 2003, kept them in the conference lead.
It doesn’t hurt that the Devils still have arguably the best goaltender in the game, Martin Brodeur, who had 24 saves in earning his 40th victory of the season, and a lunchpail work ethic that remains undiminished.
Dainius Zubris, Jay Pandolfo, Jamie Langenbrunner and John Madden had the goals for the Devils as Jose Theodore had a subpar day in the context of his recent strong run.
“Obviously, there are a couple that I would like to have back,” Theodore said.
“I don’t think we generated enough,” said Avalanche captain Joe Sakic, who assisted on John-Michael Liles’ window-dressing goal that closed the gap to 4-2 in the third period. “It wasn’t one of our better performances in the last two weeks. We need to put this one behind us now.”
The assist left Sakic only one short of becoming the 11th NHL player to get 1,000 in his career.
Despite the loss, the Avalanche remained in first place in the Northwest Division — or at least until Minnesota, two points back, played the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
The Avs did get Ryan Smyth back in the lineup after his five-game absence with a concussion and a shoulder injury, but he was ineffective and didn’t stay long on the Paul Statsny-centered line. Stastny’s 22nd goal of the season tied the game, 1-1, at 7:15 of the second period before Pandolfo put the Devils up for good with a shot from the top of the left-wing circle.
Peter Forsberg missed his fourth consecutive game and Adam Foote didn’t suit up for the fourth time in the last five games.
“Peter skated (Saturday) and Footer didn’t,” coach Joel Quenneville said after Colorado’s second loss in the last 10 games. “Peter’s progressed over the last couple of days, and hopefully he’s real close. Footer, once he gets on the ice, I don’t think he’s too far away, either.”
Smyth said he “felt pretty good. It was a good test, getting bumped around out there. Right now, it’s holding up.”
Brodeur now has three straight 40-win seasons — albeit in the shootout era — and seven for his career. “I built my career and the way I play about being consistent,” he said. “Definitely, when I get 30, get 35, it’s the sign that I see that that season has been consistent.”
Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com
