Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Alexei Ponikarovsky scored with 2:39 left in
overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers
in Game 3 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series. Ilya Kovalchuk, who
sat out Game 2 with a lower body injury, made a stretch pass from his own
zone to Ponikarovsky while the Flyers were making a line change.
Ponikarovsky skated down the right wing on a 2-on-1 and his initial shot
was stopped by Ilya Bryzgalov, but he got his own rebound and backhanded
it in for the win. Kovalchuk posted a goal and two assists while
Ponikarovsky and Patrik Elias each had a goal and an assist for the
Devils, who took a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven series. Martin Brodeur
posted 25 saves for the 105th win of his playoff career. Brayden Schenn,
Matt Carle and Danny Briere each scored for the Flyers, who wasted a pair
of power plays in the overtime prior to the Devils scoring. Bryzgalov
stopped 27 shots in the loss. Game 4 of this series will take place on Sunday
night in New Jersey.
The Sports Network