(My Sportsbook) - Martin Brodeur will get his third start in four days since returning from a 50-game absence when his first-place New Jersey Devils host the rival Philadelphia Flyers in today's Atlantic Division clash at Prudential Center.

Brodeur played for the first time since November 1 on Thursday, as he recorded career shutout No. 99 in the 4-0 victory over Colorado. The future Hall of Famer also picked up the win in a blowout victory against Florida on Saturday afternoon. The veteran netminder was out for four months after suffering a torn distal biceps muscle in his left elbow.

Zach Parise scored twice and added an assist as the Devils hammered the Panthers, 7-2. New Jersey is 2-0 on a three-game homestand that ends today and is 20-10-1 as the host this season.

Brendan Shanahan, Brian Rolston and David Clarkson each added a goal and a helper for New Jersey, which has won six straight games on home ice and seven of nine overall.

The Devils now sit seven points ahead of Philadelphia atop the Atlantic and are two points behind Washington for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Travis Zajac and Dainius Zubrus also lit the lamp for New Jersey, which claimed its 12th consecutive 40-win regular season. Brodeur turned aside 15- of-17 shots in the win.

The Devils and Flyers have split four meetings this season and three of those games were decided after regulation. Jersey has won two straight after losing the first two matchups with Philadelphia this year and has taken eight of 11 overall in the series. The Flyers have been simply awful in the Garden State in recent years, losing 13 of their last 14 road games against the Devils.

Philadelphia expects to have forward Danny Briere back in the lineup today for the first time since December 2. Briere, who was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, has missed the last 36 games with the lingering effects of a groin strain, which included exploratory surgery back on January 22.

In nine games this season, Briere has posted five goals and nine points. In other roster moves designed to get the Flyers under the cap, the club recalled forward Nate Guenin from the Phantoms, while assigning forward Claude Giroux and defenseman Lasse Kukkonen to the AHL farm team.

The Flyers lost for just the second time in seven games their last time out, as they dropped Friday's overtime decision to visiting Montreal. The setback gave Philadelphia a 7-3-1 record in February.

Mathieu Schneider scored on the power play 3:21 into overtime, as the Canadiens took a 4-3 decision from the Flyers at the Wachovia Center.

Montreal got a power play due to an interference call on Scottie Upshall, and it took advantage. Antero Niittymaki initially made some great glove saves, but Schneider blasted a shot from the right circle past the goaltender's glove for the win.

Joffrey Lupul, Simon Gagne and Mike Richards all scored for the Flyers, who had won five of six coming into the game. Niittymaki allowed four goals on 36 shots to take the loss.

Philadelphia was dreadful on the power play, going 0-for-8 in the contest. The team played its third straight game without top defenseman and power-play quarterback Kimmo Timonen, who will miss his fourth test in a row today with the flu.

Today's tilt marks the first of two straight away from home for the Flyers, who will also visit Boston on Tuesday. Philadelphia is 15-9-6 as the guest this year and has won four straight road games.