by By TOM GULITTI, STAFF WRITER, North Jersey Media Group , The Record

Nonetheless, the Devils' left wing appears destined to be picked as a reserve, which would be the first All-Star selection of his four-year NHL career. Prior to Thursday's games, Parise ranked fifth in the NHL in goals with 21 and was tied for sixth in points with 44.

"Definitely it would be a lot of fun if it happened," Parise said. "But I don't think you can really be thinking about whether you're going to make it. If it happens, it happens."

The Canadiens, who face the Devils tonight at Prudential Center, will be well represented as the All-Star Game's host team. As of Thursday afternoon, Montreal's Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek were locked in as the top two in the voting for defensemen [among eligible players] and right wing Alexei Kovalev was third among forwards, behind Pittsburgh superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

In addition, Montreal's Carey Price was in a tight battle with Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury to start in net.

No Devil was among the top 10 vote-getters at forward or defense or the top five among goaltenders. In fact, in the league's most-recent report of the full voting statistics released Tuesday, Parise was 22nd among forwards with 44,830 votes. That was the most for any Devils' skater [injured goaltender Martin Brodeur had 65,291 votes], but well back of Crosby's record total of 1,463,901.

Parise wasn't expecting to be voted a starter, though.

"I don't see myself getting more votes than [Alex] Ovechkin, Crosby and Malkin," he said.

Parise, 24, shouldn't feel too bad. Ovechkin, who won the Hart Trophy last season after leading the Capitals to the playoffs and leading the league in goals and points, was a distant sixth in the voting for forwards as of Thursday.

If he wasn't sidelined with a torn left biceps tendon, Brodeur, a Montreal native and annual All-Star, would have been a shoo-in to be selected this year with the game in his hometown. With Brodeur out, Parise seems to be even more of a lock to make the East squad.

The Devils had no players in last season's All-Star Game in Atlanta after Brodeur, who was voted a starter, pulled out for personal reasons. Brodeur made his decision too late for a Devil to be named to replace him, but there were some who thought that Parise should have been one of the Eastern Conference reserves from the start.

When the league named the East reserves on Jan. 11, the Devils were in second place in the conference and first in the Atlantic Division, but were not granted a second representative.

Parise, who finished last season with a career-high 32 goals and 65 points, admitted he was disappointed at the time.

"A little bit," he said. "I thought I had a pretty decent start to the year. But, then again, you look at the roster and there were some really, really good players there."

Parise is having an even better 2008-09 season. He is on pace to become the first 100-point scorer in team history.

"I feel like I've been more consistent this year," Parise said. "Game in and game out I feel better this year than last year."

BRIEFS: Brodeur has begun doing off-ice workouts. ? The Devils had Thursday off after losing, 4-2, in Dallas on Wednesday night.

Canadiens at Devils

Tonight, 7 o'clock

TV: MSG Plus

Radio: WFAN-AM 660

Story line: The Devils (21-12-3) return home after ending a three-game road trip, in which they won the first two games, with a 4-2 loss in Dallas on New Year's Eve. They defeated the Canadiens, 2-1, in overtime Dec. 6 in Montreal. The Canadiens (21-9-6) are 5-0-1 in their last six games.

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