by MARK EVERSON , The New York Post

"That is news," Lemaire said after the Devils' 3-2 victory over the Capitals last night.

The team that stands 7-0 on the road improved to a still unsatisfactory 2-4 at home. But rather than two-thirds empty, Martin Brodeur chose to regard the recent glass as two-thirds full.

"Now we've won 2-of-3 at home," Brodeur said. "You have to look at the positives.

The win was New Jersey's third straight overall, sixth in seven and ninth in 11, pulling them within a point of the Rangers with three games in hand.

The triumph came with a cost, however, as the Devils lost center Rob Niedermayer to an upper body injury early in the third, and Niedermayer said he was not sure he will be able to play this weekend.

The Capitals took the lead at 17:10 of the first, making the Devils pay for a breakout turnover. Cory Murphy lost the puck to Chris Clark, who was checked by Jamie Langenbrunner. Rookie Mathieu Perreault took over for Washington, however, moving in 2-on-1 with Murphy trapped. A quick feed to left wing gave defenseman Tyler Sloan an unopposed lane to score high on the short side, over Brodeur's waffle. Perreault's assist was his first NHL point in his first NHL game.

Lemaire shuffled his lines to start the second, and Brian Rolston responded with his third goal of the season, a centering attempt from behind the net that went in off Caps defenseman Mike Green at 3:33. Jamie Langenbrunner slammed Shaone Morrisonn in the offensive left corner to free the puck for Niedermayer to relay behind the net to Rolston to bounce in off Green.

Nicklas Bergfors put New Jersey in front at 11:20 of the third with the first of his two late power-play goals, beating Semyon Varlamov short side, off the glove, from right wing.

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