TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 29 shots for his third shutout of the season Friday night in carrying the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-0 blanking of the New Jersey Devils.
The 28-year-old Russian, who returned to the NHL late last season after a two-year contract holdout, extended his personal winning streak to three games with his second shutout in three starts.
Khabibulin preserved the shutout with a pad stop on Scott Gomez with less than two minutes to play. He turned away a flurry of shots on New Jersey's six-on-four advantage in the final minute.
Fredrik Modin scored the only goal the Lightning needed late in the second period to improve to 6-4-1 at home. Modin picked up a rebound in the slot and put a wrist shot over the shoulder of rookie goaltender J.F. Damphousse with 3:57 left in the period.
Damphousse stopped 20 shots in his NHL debut, but the Devils had their winless streak extended to seven games (0-4-2-1).
Vaclav Prospal added his seventh goal with 6 1/2 minutes left in the game to double Tampa Bay's lead.
