Zach Parise remembers what it was like when he played his first game in the NHL.

It was Oct. 5, 2005, and the Penguins were taking on New Jersey at Continental Airlines Arena.

Parise wasn't the only one making his pro debut that night -- a moderately publicized 18-year-old named Sidney Crosby was wearing a Penguins sweater in a game that counted for the first time -- but he and his teammates seized the spotlight quickly and never let go.

The Devils won, 5-1, with Parise contributing the winning goal and an assist, while Crosby was held to an assist.

That delighted the New Jersey crowd, which serenaded Crosby with sing-song choruses of "Puh-ree-seez Bett-er" as the game moved along.

"It was a long time ago," Parise said, smiling slightly.

Yes, and much has changed since. The biggest difference is that no one, including members of his immediate family, would publicly suggest that Parise is a better player than Crosby now.

But even as Crosby has developed into a player many regard as the finest in the game -- he is currently out with a high ankle sprain -- Parise has become a significant force.

He enters the Devils' game against the Penguins tonight at the Prudential Center in Newark as New Jersey's leading scorer, topping the team in goals (19) and assists (26), and has established himself as the Devils' offensive go-to guy.

"Absolutely," New Jersey center Travis Zajac said. "He showed that last year and he's continued it this year, with leading our team [in points] and scoring big goals for us."

Parise and Zajac have been linemates for most of this season, but Devils coach Brent Sutter criticized their performance in a 4-2 loss to the Penguins Tuesday, then split them for a 6-3 victory against Los Angeles Saturday.

Parise played with Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta, while Zajac skated between Dainius Zubrus and Jamie Langenbrunner. Whether those units will remain intact tonight isn't clear, but Parise and Zajac, who generally have Langenbrunner on the right side, have worked well together for most of the season.

Both attended the University of North Dakota, although their stays there did not overlap, and they have an obvious chemistry.

"He's a pretty easy guy to play with," Parise said. "We both create our chances from hard work. We're not going to score a lot of fancy goals. We're going to score a lot of ugly ones, a lot from in front of the net, hard-working goals. I think we share that trait.

"It just seems like a lot of times we know where each other are. We're comfortable playing with each other. That's the most important thing. We're not afraid to make a mistake.

"We're going to try plays and if they work, great. If not, the other guy's not going to get on you for not working. We both know that we're working hard. That level of comfort is there."

Parise was the Devils' first-round draft choice in 2003, when he went 17th overall. The surprise was not that New Jersey claimed him, but that he made it past the New York Islanders, who had the 15th choice.

Parise's father, J.P., had played on Long Island, and the conventional wisdom heading into that draft was that the New York Islanders were hoping to add the younger Parise to their depth chart. Instead, they took Robert Nilsson, now with the Edmonton Oilers.

"It wasn't a disappointment," Parise said. "It was more of a surprise that it didn't happen. But I guess it worked out for the best."

The Devils certainly think so. Parise, 23, followed up a 32-point rookie season with 62 in 2006-07 and, barring injury, should set another career-high this year.

He is not the player anyone is likely to think of first when discussing the Devils -- that distinction almost certainly will belong to goalie Martin Brodeur for as long as he remains in the game -- but when opponents talk about the Devils' offensive weapons, Parise has a prominent place in the conversation.

That's because, while he isn't terribly large -- he's listed as 5 feet 11 and 190 pounds -- his talent level and hockey sense are excellent.

"He's a smart player and highly skilled, so he's pretty easy to play with," Zajac said.

And a logical choice as the guy New Jersey turns to when it needs offense.

"If so, I guess I'm doing my job, doing something right," Parise said. "I take pride in offense and getting offensive chances, so if so, I'm doing the right thing out there."