Perhaps it's a just coincidence, but perhaps Devils veteran goalie Martin Brodeur is on to something.

Since the All-Star break, the 6-2, 220-pound Brodeur has tweaked his leg pads and he's 4-0-1 and playing some of his best hockey of the season.

Brodeur has lengthened his leg pads from 36 inches to 37 inches, and increased the width at the top of the pads from 9 1/2 inches to "about 10 1/4 to 10 1/2 inches,'' he said. The bottom remains the maximum allowed (11 inches).

"For me, I think it protects a little more the five hole," said Brodeur, who'll be in net on Tuesday night when the Devils (31-20-4) travel to Buffalo (24-25-6). "When I go down on the butterfly there's a little more pad there then I used to have. I always played with my pads wider at the bottom and tapered at the top like goalies did in the 1990s.

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"Now I'm more in line with what other goalies wear around the league. I just wanted to see if I was able to play with something a little bigger and cover a little more net. It feels pretty good."

After taking a game or two to get used to the pads, Brodeur said they feel like a second skin now. He won't say the change is the reason for his current hot streak but it certainly hasn't hurt.

"I'm feeling pretty good," said Brodeur, who is 2-0-1 vs. Buffalo this season. "I just want to continue playing well. The team is playing really well. We had a lillt hiccup the past two games, losing a few points here and there, but we're playing well."

Dave Hutchinson: dhutchinson@starledger.com