New Jersey Devils put Philadelphia Flyers on edge with 4-2 win -NHL Playoffs Update
Dainius Zubrus knew that he had to give something special to Martin Brodeur for his 40th birthday and he did exactly that as the player score the two game-winning goals to lift New Jersey Devils with a 4-2 win to a 3-1 lead in the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Playoff Semi-Finals against Philadelphia Flyers.
With both teams levelled 2-2 by the end of the opening 20 minutes, Zubrus stayed hot throughout the match as he made the tie-breaking goal with less than three minutes remaining on the snap shot through Ilya Bryzgalov and then got the lucky empty netter at 19:15 to insure a hard earned win.
"It was a great effort from the guys," Brodeur said. "We started not the way we wanted to start the game. We get bang-bang -- a power-play goal and a short-handed goal -- but we beared down afterward and we dominated the game."
For New Jersey’s goalie, Martin Brodeur, this might be the last time the team makes such a strong performance in the postseason as they are now a game away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals since 2003.
"You kind of shake your head a little bit that you're at a level that you're having fun and be able to compete in the league that you always wanted to play and still be able to keep going," Brodeur said.
Scott Hartnell worked their second power play advantage with Marek Zidlicky in the box for interference and got the first of the night while Claude Giroux kept his scoring on top with his eighth postseason goal as Flyers were shorthanded without Andreas Lilja.
New Jersey answered right back as Petr Sykora added Devils first of the night on an added man opportunity of their and Marek Zidlicky levelled it at 18:09.
Devils might be just one game away from taking the series but that does not mean that they are going to let their guard down entering Game 5.
"There is still a long way to go," Devils’ captain, Zach Parise, said. "It's a very good team over there and we've got to get that fourth one."
Game 5 is on Tuesday, May 8, at Philadelphia.
Tags: