Travis Zajac’s goal 5:39 into overtime on Tuesday night in Newark lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 win over the visiting Florida Panthers and into seventh heaven—or at least a seventh and deciding game on Thursday evening in Sunrise, Fla.
New Jersey, which had been eliminated at home in the playoffs each spring from 2007 to 2011, could have had it happen again after squandering a 2-0 lead in the second period. After Steve Bernier and Ilya Kovalchuk (power-play goal) had staked the Devils to a two-goal advantage just over four minutes into the second stanza, things started to unravel for the home side in the span of several opposing shots.
First it was Kris Versteeg banking a shot home off a Devil skate in front at 7:05, after Stephen Weiss went to round the net and set up Versteeg in front. Less than six minutes later, Sean Bergenheim picked up a loose puck just behind the right post of the Devils goal and went backhand-to-forehand to tie the contest.
The Devils continued to out-shoot the Panthers ...
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Article written by Roman Uschak