SB Nation
  • Google+

SB Nation New York

Stay connected for news and updates

Devils Overcome Two-Goal Deficit To Topple Thrashers, 4-2

-- See In Lou We Trust for more discussion and analysis of the Devils

  • Live
2 Total Updates since March 15, 2011
  • Important 1
  • Updates 2
  • All Updates 2

Devils Overcome Two Goal Deficit To Topple Thrashers, 4-2

The New Jersey Devils (33-32-4) playoff hopes hung on a goal review.

With only 34.7 seconds left in regulation and down one goal, it appeared the Atlanta Thrashers (29-29-12) tied the game. But it was ruled Evander Kane tipped the puck in with a high stick, disallowing the goal.

The call sealed a win for New Jersey, who went on the beat the Thrashers, 4-2, tonight at the Prudential Center.

The win moved the Devils into 10th place in the Eastern Conference. They moved within six points of the Buffalo Sabres for eight place.

Rookie Jacob Josefson played hero, scoring the game-winning goal at 4:14 of the third period. Mattias Tedenby started the play, forcing a turnover behind the Thrashers net. The rookie right-winger passed the puck to Josefson in the slot. The Devils' center sent a low wrist shot between the pads of Ondrej Pavelec for his second goal of the season.

Holding the lead proved to be an adventure for New Jersey.

Martin Brodeur had to make a sprawling save to stop Blake Wheeler with just under a minute left in regulation. Then, seconds after the disallowed goal, Brodeur stoned Bryan Little on a rebound chance in the crease. 

With 17 seconds left in regulation, Kovalchuk sealed the victory with an empty net goal, his 26th of the season.

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire agreed with the referees call on the disallowed goal.

"The referees saw it and obviously it was a high stick there on that goal," Lemaire told Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record. "You can see in the replay and everyone will agree that it was."

The Devils entered tonight's game having not allowed a first period goal in their past 16 games. In the span of 65 seconds, their NHL record streak was history.

Tim Stapleton opened the scoring, giving the Thrashers a 1-0 lead at 15:24 of the first period. Kane spun along the side boards and passed the puck to the slot. Stapleton tipped the puck past a diving Brodeur for his third goal of the season.

Chris Thorburn extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:29 of the opening period. Thorburn carried the puck behind the net, and curled around near the goal line. He shot the puck through the legs of Henrik Tallinder and through the arm of Brodeur for his eighth goal of the season.

Travis Zajac cut the lead to 2-1 with 1:08 left in the first period. David Clarkson started the play, passing the puck from behind the net to Mark Fayne at the point. The defenseman fired a puck that Zajac deflected past Pavelec for his 13th goal of season.

Patrik Elias tied the game, 2-2, at 5:10 of the second period, by finishing off a 3-on-2 feed from Brian Rolston. The play started in the Devils zone when Blake Wheeler misfired on a pass to Andrew Ladd. The puck came to the left wing boards, where Elias picked up the puck and started the rush, moving into the Thrashers zone on the right wing. He passed the puck to Rolston, who was trailing the play. Rolston fed the puck back to Elias, who one-timed the puck past Pavelec for his 16th goal of the season.

The Devils win continued their impressive second half run. On January 8, the team sat 27 points out of playoff position. With their win tonight, they moved within six points of a playoff spot. They moved above .500 for the first time all season.

"We've talked about it for a few weeks now. This is pretty amazing what we accomplished," Brodeur told Gultti. "I think we got ourselves in a fun situation that every game counts now. Thirty, forty games ago we were like, 'How are we going to play the second half? Kill time and finish the season?' We were able to turn it around. We're definitely a long ways from where we want to be, but at least now every game counts and it's fun. We come to the rink and we're getting ourselves prepared and the next tow weeks are big for us."

Game Notes

The Devils won the season series, 3-1...Kovalchuk clipped skates with Eric Boulton in the third period and went back to the bench. He didn't miss a shift and said he was ok after the game...Josefson scored goals in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Continue