Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Jamie Langenbrunner and John Madden scored key third-period goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center.

Jay Pandolfo and Dainius Zubrus also scored for New Jersey, which has won five of its last six games overall and remained at the top the Eastern Conference with 90 points. The Devils also hold a three-point lead over Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division. Marty Brodeur made 24 saves for the Devils, who concluded their road trip with a 3-1 mark and will host the New York Rangers on Wednesday.

"We need saves, and Marty gets them for us," said Devils coach Brent Sutter. "We beat a good team today. Marty got into a groove, and that got (the rest of the team) into a groove. Great goaltending always gives you an opportunity to win."

Brodeur now has 40 wins for the campaign, extending his own record of seasons with at least 40 victories to seven.

Paul Stastny and John-Michael Liles scored for Colorado, which lost for only the second time in its last 10 games overall. Jose Theodore allowed four goals on 27 shots in the losing effort. The loss, coupled with Minnesota's 2-0 win over Los Angeles later Saturday, left the Avalanche tied with the Wild atop the Northwest Division with 84 points each.

The Devils led 2-1 in the third period and increased their lead with two goals in under four minutes.

With 15:20 to go in regulation, Brodeur's glove stopped a backhand attempt by Joe Sakic at the right post. The save gave a jump start to the Devils' forwards, who came out flat in the third before Langenbrunner's tally put the visitors ahead by two at 7:52. Zach Parise held control near the goal line beneath the right circle, maneuvered around one defender and slipped a pass through the skates of Colorado's Kurt Sauer. Langenbrunner, from the low slot, accepted the pass and deposited his 12th goal into the back of the cage.

Madden's 19th goal of the season gave New Jersey a three-goal edge at the 11:50 mark of the third when his wrister from the lower left circle hit Theodore and trickled across the goal line.

Moments later, Mike Rupp was called for high-sticking and the Avs drew within 4-2 on a power-play marker by Liles, a shot from the right point that hit traffic in front on its way into the net.

Brodeur, though, shut the door the rest of the way and the Devils skated off with the two-goal victory.

"It was a big win for us. We expected this to be a tight game," said Langenbrunner. "It should be interesting down the stretch, but most importantly, we control our own destiny."

The Devils grabbed a 1-0 lead on a goal by Zubrus at the 14:08 mark of the opening period. Rupp released a shot from the left side and the save was made by Theodore, but the puck sat under his pads and the whistle did not blow before Zubrus poked it home from the top of the crease.

Brodeur made several nice saves later in the first to keep New Jersey in front. First, Ryan Smyth attempted a stuffer at the left post that was turned aside before a great sliding stop on a one-timer from the lower left circle by Milan Hejduk.

"Marty made some huge saves for us," Langenbrunner added.

At the 7:15 mark of the second, the Avalanche finally solved Brodeur. Andrew Brunette held control along the rear boards and slid a pass into the left circle, where a one-timer by Stastny lit the lamp.

Less than two minutes later, though, the Devils regained their lead. Following a nice save by Theodore on Paul Martin's attempt from the left circle, the Devils regrouped in the neutral zone and Brian Gionta carried over the blue line down the left-wing side. Pandolfo received a drop pass from Gionta and beat Theodore with a wrister from inside the near circle with 10:58 to go before the second intermission.