After long wait, Brodeur is a Vezina winner

TORONTO (AP) _ Martin Brodeur went 1-for-2 in trophies for the second time this week. <br><br>But for the first time, he was chosen as the NHL's top goalie. <br><br>Brodeur was presented with the Vezina

Friday, June 13th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TORONTO (AP) _ Martin Brodeur went 1-for-2 in trophies for the second time this week.

But for the first time, he was chosen as the NHL's top goalie.

Brodeur was presented with the Vezina Trophy on Thursday night, three days after he led New Jersey to its third Stanley Cup.

``People always asked, `You haven't won the Vezina?' Now I've finally got it,'' he said. ``But I never felt overlooked.''

He didn't win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs despite posting an NHL-record seven shutouts _ including three in the seven-game finals against Anaheim.

The Vezina is chosen by the league's general managers. The Jack Adams Award winner for coach of the year is selected by the NHL broadcasters. All other player awards handed out Thursday night were voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

Peter Forsberg of Colorado edged Brodeur and Vancouver's Markus Naslund for the Hart Trophy as MVP. He won the scoring title with 106 points and became the first Swedish player to capture the Hart.

``I've been very fortunate to play for a good team for a long time,'' the two-time Stanley Cup winner said.

Forsberg had a remarkable comeback last season after missing the previous campaign recuperating from injuries and contemplating his future. He earned a $100,000 bonus for the award.

Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom became the first player since Bobby Orr to be chosen as the top defenseman for three straight years.

``I don't think it's really sunk in,'' Lidstrom said.

Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies from 1968-75.

Lidstrom had a plus-40 rating and was third in scoring among defensemen with 62 points. Al MacInnis of St. Louis was the runners-up.

``I thought MacInnis was going to win,'' Lidstrom said. ``He had a strong season with (Chris) Pronger out.''

In other awards, St. Louis defenseman Barrett Jackman won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year; Toronto forward Alexander Mogilny earned the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the most gentlemanly player; Steve Yzerman, of Detroit, received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey; Minnesota's Jacques Lemaire won the Jack Adams Award; and Jere Lehtinen of Dallas won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward.

Brodeur has been a big part of the Devils' success the last nine years, which produced three championships. He had 41 regular-season victories and nine shutouts _ both league highs.

``Winning never gets old,'' he said.

He finished second to Dominik Hasek in Vezina voting in 1997 and 1998 and was third in 2001 when Hasek won again.

``Hasek was so dominant that it was normal that he won it all those years,'' said Brodeur, who earned a $400,000 bonus.

Jackman became the first defenseman in six years to win the Calder. He successfully filled the void created by the absence of Pronger, who missed most of the season because of injury.

Jackman topped forwards Henrik Zetterberg of Detroit and Rick Nash of Columbus. He's only the second defenseman in 14 years to win, joining Bryan Berard who was chosen in 1997.

Lemaire also took home the Adams Award in 1994 with New Jersey. He became a two-time winner by leading the Wild to a 42-29-10-1 record and a playoff berth in the team's third season. It was the second-best showing by a third-year club since 1967.

Brendan Shanahan of the Detroit Red Wings won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for humanitarianism.