Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils head to the Steel City on Saturday night to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in what might well be a battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. With Sidney Crosby out of the lineup (high ankle sprain), dynamic Russian forward Evgeni Malkin has taken over the team lead in goals (42), assists (57), and points (99) while also taking his rightful place amongst the game’s brightest young stars. Meanwhile, Brodeur has been typically sensational for the Devils this season, serving as the anchor for the Eastern Conference’s stingiest defense. Check out this critical Atlantic Division match-up in brilliant 1080i on HDNet, live at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Devils to Watch

The Devils’ success, of course, begins with Brodeur. Well on his way to going down as the NHL’s best-ever netminder, Brodeur has posted seven 40+ win seasons, by far an NHL record, and he was only 18 victories behind Patrick Roy for the all-time record entering Friday night’s game against the Islanders. An incredibly athletic netminder, Brodeur has worked diligently to improve his positioning and stickhandling over the course of his career. Brodeur is the biggest difference-maker in the Eastern Conference, and is the reason why New Jersey remains amongst the league’s top teams despite losing a virtual All-Star team to free agency and retirement over the past half-decade (Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Brian Rafalski, Scott Gomez, etc.).

Young forward Zach Parise is the catalyst for the Devils’ offense. He’s a dynamic playmaker, and leads the team in goals (30), points (61), and all power play scoring categories (goals, assists, points). An exceptional two-way player, Parise’s plus-21 rating is by far best amongst all Devils forwards. The son of former NHLer J.P. Parise, Zach is turning out to be one of the best players selected in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft… no easy feat considering it will likely go down as the finest draft class in league history.

Patrik Elias is nursing a bruised knee, and he might not be able to suit up on Saturday night. If he misses the game, look for Brian Gionta and Jamie Langenbrunner to step up in his absence. The diminutive Gionta has scored 20 goals in 73 games, and though his production has dropped dramatically following Gomez’s offseason departure via free agency, he remains one of the team’s most dangerous scoring threats.

On the blue line, Paul Martin has gradually developed into the team’s best rearguard. A smooth-skating defenseman with above-average puckhandling skills, Martin is a reliable option for head coach Brent Sutter in all game situations, and his plus-21 rating is tied with Parise for second-best on the Devils behind partner Johnny Oduya.

Penguins to Watch

With Crosby out of the lineup, Evgeni Malkin has become the focal point of the Pens’ offense. Malkin’s style is reminiscent of that of former Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau, his long reach and smooth skating allowing him to gracefully control the play in the offensive zone. And with a plus-17 rating, it’s clear that Malkin’s defensive game is also top-notch. On Tuesday night, the Rangers shut down Malkin with some very physical play. The Devils will try a similar tactic, and whether they succeed will likely provide a good indication as to whether or not Malkin and the Pens will excel when the going gets really tough in the postseason.

Another forward who’s really stepped up his play of late is Petr Sykora. Once one-third of the dangerous “A-Line” during his time with the New Jersey Devils (along with Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott), Sykora has been red-hot over the past six games, tallying four goals and nine points during that stretch. Sykora’s production often comes in bunches; he scored 14 points during an 11-game stretch earlier this season, the two hot streaks representing nearly ½ of his full season’s production (23 points in those 17 games, 26 points in the other 56 games).

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, looks to have taken back the starting role from Ty Conklin with his very strong play in March. Fleury missed nearly three months with a high-ankle sprain, but has bounced back nicely, posting a 5-1 record (1.85 GAA, .942) in six March appearances. The NHL’s fastest goalie at moving from post to post, Fleury’s extended absence may be a blessing in disguise. He won’t be worn down from the rigors of an 82-game regular season, and might have a huge advantage over the likes of Brodeur and others come playoff time as a result.

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