Now that Jay Pandolfo has found his scoring touch, it’s time to work on his celebration technique.
The New Jersey Devils overcame the strangest no-goal of the playoffs and a wacky near-goal to grab the lead in the Eastern Conference finals. The Ottawa Senators had top defenseman Wade Redden back after he strained his knee in Game 2, but that wasn’t enough as they lost 1-0 Thursday night.
Sergei Brylin scored on a masterful deflection, his first goal of the playoffs for the Devils, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
Pandolfo should have given the Devils a 2-0 lead in the first period. But his shot that went into the net wasn’t detected before it bounced out. He didn’t know whether to throw up his hands in happiness or frustration.
With 7:50 left in the first period, Pandolfo’s shot from in front got well inside the right post. The puck struck a pad at the bottom of the net and kicked right back out and under goalie Patrick Lalime, who was seated.
“The goalie did the splits and I never saw it after that,” goal judge Paul McInnis said.
“I didn’t know really what was going on,” said Pandolfo, who scored in each of the first two games of the series after notching just six in the regular season. “I guess I have to learn to celebrate a little more. Maybe they would’ve gone upstairs to check it.”
New Jersey’s John Madden appeared to ask referee Kerry Fraser about the call of no-goal, and the goal light never came on.
“I imagine somebody will be held accountable for it–you’ve got to be,” Devils coach Pat Burns said.
Martin Brodeur made 24 saves for his fourth shutout of these playoffs and 17th in his postseason career. Lalime stopped 23 shots for Ottawa, blanked for the fourth time in five playoff losses. The Senators, winners of Game 1, have lost consecutive playoff games for the first time this year.
“It seems like we didn’t have any emotion,” Lalime said. “We have to find that. I can’t answer for 25 guys.”
The Devils improved to 7-0 at home in front 19,040 fans, New Jersey’s first sellout of this postseason.
Bryan Smolinski nearly gave the Senators the lead in the first period. His dump-in took a crazy carom off the right-wing boards and shot just wide of the left post as Brodeur was behind the net.
