NHL Update: New Jersey Devils 6-3 conquer Tampa Bay Lightning, halt a four-game losing streak
David Clarkson ignited a five-goal third period with his second goal of the playoff as New Jersey Devils pounded Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-3, at Prudential Centre on Sunday night.
Patrik Elias recorded a goal and a pair of assists for New Jersey, who won for just the third time in 18 games. Ilya Kovalchuk and Brian Rolston had two assists, while Martin Brodeur brushed aside 33 shots for the Devils, who registered a season high for
goals in one contest.
Dainius Zubrus and Nick Palmieri also lit the lamp for Devils, who has the worst performance (11-29-2) in the league this season. Jason Arnott scored a lucky go-ahead goal in the win for Devils.
"It's been tough for us," Brodeur said. "If you don't give the fans anything to cheer for, it's hard for them to cheer. I think today was a more exciting game for them, a more exciting game for us."
Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone tallied for the Southeast Division-leading Tampa Bay, who has lost two of three games now. Dan Ellis was dented for four goals on 24 shots in Lightning's loss. Dominic Moore added another goal late in the third period for the
losing side.
Purcell jumped on puck in the crease to give Lightning a 1-0 lead in the third minute of the first period. New Jersey centre Adam Mair attempted to clear the loose puck in the crease but it hit off Tampa Bay forward Mattias Ritoa and bounced to the right
side of the net where Purcell tapped it in.
It did not take long for New Jersey to pull even as Clarkson tallied on a breakaway backhander in the 4th minute of second period. He was the beneficiary of a nice Tim Sestiti pass on the blue line. He then rushed in front of the net and easily
chipped over Ellis and into the net.
Tampa Bay notched a go-ahead goal on a power play late in the first period to take 2-1 lead. Vincent Lecavalier slipped the puck to Malone below the right circle. Brodeur apparently had the corner of the net shut off but Malone ripped a shot between the
goaltender’s pads for his ninth goal on a power-play this season. Martin St. Louis also assisted on Malone’s goal.
Despite all the action from both sides, second period of the game was scoreless.
After 40 minutes in the third period, Clarkson again equalized the game at 2-2 on a power-play with his seventh goal of the season and second of the game. This goal gave New Jersey a hope. Clarkson, skating on the right face-off circle, received a great
pass from Kovalchuk and fired a powerful shot straight into the net.
New Jersey notched 3-2 lead almost four minutes later. Elias controlled the puck behind the net and gave a pass to Henrik Tallinder in the left circle. Tallinder snapped a shot towards the net that deflected in off teammate Arnott.
The call was no goal. It was reviewed and Arnott’s 10th goal of the season stood.
“I was trying to fire it and I misfired it,” Tallinder said. “It hit Arnie, it was just a lucky bounce. Finally, it went our way this time.”
Zubrus made it 4-2 for the Devils in 15th minute of the third period. Rolston and Elias assisted for this goal.
Elias pushed the lead to 5-2, scoring into an empty-net with less than two minutes left in the final period.
Moore lit the lamp for Lightning 33 seconds later and cut the deficit to 5-3, but Nick hit the puck in the still-vacated net to seal the victory with his first NHL goal.
"We lost the game because we got scored on the penalty kill. After that, we had many chances to shoot and we didn't," said Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher.
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