By Julian Linden
NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) – The New Jersey Devils overcame
a mid-game slump to defeat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Wednesday
and level their best-of-seven Eastern Conference final 1-1.
Running high on enthusiasm despite their 3-0 loss in Game
One, the Devils clawed their way back from 2-1 behind with two
unanswered goals.
The Madison Square Garden crowd left disappointed, but a
series that promised to be a National Hockey League classic
because of the team’s bitter rivalry was starting to live up to
expectations.
The Devils snatched the early lead when they finally found a
way past New York’s inspirational Swedish goalie Henrik
Lundqvist as Russian left winger Ilya Kovalchuk unleashed a
ferocious shot on a power play that whistled into the net after
less than seven minutes of the opening period.
But the Rangers, who finished the regular season as the top
ranked team in the conference, reasserted their control and
dominated the middle period.
Defenceman Marc Staal tied the scores at 1-1, then center
Chris Kreider put the home team ahead when he slipped the puck
past Devils’ netminder Martin Brodeur on a power play.
Ryan Carter scored for the Devils less than two minutes
before the end of the period to tie the game at 2-2 before David
Clarkson scored the go-ahead goal early in the third as the
Devils, who took the day off training after their deflating Game
One loss, finished strongly against their weary opponents.
The series moves across the Hudson River to New Jersey for
Game Three on Saturday. The series winner will play either the
Los Angeles Kings or the Phoenix Coyotes in the Stanley Cup
Finals.
(Editing by Patrick Johnston)
