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BUT GOMEZ HURT IN VICTORY

By MARK (N)Єverson

CAM TOUGH: The Devils' Cam Janssen leaves the ice after his first-period fight with the Flyers' Riley Cote last night. The Devils won, 3-1, but lost Scott Gomez to a thigh injury.

CAM TOUGH: The Devils' Cam Janssen leaves the ice after his first-period fight with the Flyers' Riley Cote last night. The Devils won, 3-1, but lost Scott Gomez to a thigh injury.

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March 31, 2007 -- The Devils regained the Atlantic Division lead, but they suffered another scary injury in the process.

The Devils are back on top of the Penguins, both with 100 points, because of one more victory after winning at the Meadowlands for the first time in March last night.

Their 3-1 triumph over the NHL-worst Flyers gave the Devils their 10th 100-point season, fourth straight. But while checking star John Madden returned to the lineup, top offensive center Scott Gomez left the game with a bruised left thigh, suffered while hopping over the sweep check of Alexandre Picard in the first period.

"Bruised bad," Gomez said. "I don't know what happened. I hit his knee or something. I tried it in the second (period) but I couldn't straighten my leg."

The Devils had just regained the services last night of alternate captain Madden, who missed seven straight games with a groin injury. Captain Patrik Elias played his second game after missing five with a groin injury, and Brian Gionta is expected back tomorrow against the Bruins (3:30 p.m.) after sitting out 19 of 21 with his groin injury.

"It's frustrating, but we'll see what happens," said Gomez, uncertain whether he can face the Bruins.

Madden said, "The hits just keep on coming. For us to win hockey games, we pretty much need Scott in our lineup. That's for sure."

The Devils won at home for the first time since Feb. 20, snapping an 0-4-1 winless skid at the Meadowlands. Ominously, they stand 3-4 in their past seven overall, beating only teams out of playoff position: the Panthers, Islanders and Flyers.

But if the Devils win their final four, they will capture their seventh Atlantic Division title. If they don't win the division, they'll likely face Ottawa in the first round, perhaps without home-ice advantage. The Devils held the division lead for 97 straight days before the Penguins took it Thursday.

The Devils leapfrogged the Penguins despite a first period when the Flyers could have scored three or four. Brian Rafalski made saves on Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble, Martin Brodeur had post help, and Geoff Sanderson was guilty of overpassing when facing an open net.

The out-of-it Flyers' enthusiasm seemed to wane in the second, and Mike Rupp gave the Devils the lead at 18:40. Moved up alongside Elias and Sergei Brylin because of Gomez's injury, Rupp deflected Brad Lukowich's right-point shot under Martin Biron for his sixth goal of the year.

There were 9.9 seconds left before intermission when Travis Zajac added the Devils' second goal, off another right-point shot, this time by Rafalski. Zach Parise dug that power-play rebound off Biron, knocking it to Zajac at the right side for his 17th.

Gagne's 38th of the year spoiled Brodeur's shutout bid with 5:57 left in the third, but Jay Pandolfo hit the empty net with 15.6 seconds left.

*

Brodeur's 45th victory of the year, with nine shootout wins, tied him with Vancouver's Roberto Luongo for the second-most in a season in NHL history, behind Bernie Parent's 47 with no shootout wins. . . . Winger David Clarkson was returned to AHL Lowell yesterday.

mark.(N)Єverson@nypost.com