The New Jersey Devils finally prevailed over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of their second-round 2012 NHL Playoffs series Thursday night. The Devils took advantage of a Flyers' line change, setting up a 2-on-1 Alexei Ponikarovsky goal in overtime to put his team up one score for a third and final time. New Jersey heads into Game 4 with a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Devils twice took the lead in regulation, but the Flyers always had an answer. Patrik Elias and Ilya Kovalchuk scored 20 seconds apart midway through the first period to give New Jersey a 2-1 lead. Matt Carle responded by beating a well-screened Martin Brodeur for his second goal of the postseason.
Zach Parise was able to put the Devils up one goal again at the 7:29 mark of the third period on a wraparound shot through the 5-hole of Ilya Bryzgalov, assisted by Kovalchuk. Three and a half minutes later Danny Briere had the answer on a tip-in for his eighth goal of the postseason.
Neither goaltender was particularly sharp on the night. Bryzgalov finished with 27 saves to 25 for Brodeur. Philadelphia went 1-for-5 on their powerplay opportunities while the Devils went 1-for-2.
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