 NEW YORK (AP) - Jaromir Jagr warned time and again that the New York Rangers' two wins in New Jersey were rooted more in good fortune than stellar play.
Once the bounces started going the Devils' way, the already tight first-round playoff series got that much closer.
John Madden's centering pass 6:01 into overtime Sunday night clipped the skate of Rangers defenseman Marc Staal and caromed into the net, giving New Jersey a crucial 4-3 victory.
It also cut New York's lead in the first-round, best-of-seven series to 2-1.
"Those first two games, the lucky breaks went our way," said Jagr, the Rangers captain. "Today it went their way in overtime. Nobody said it was going to be easy. It's going to be hard. We have to take the positive. We're still ahead 2-1.
"Next game, we have to win it. That's the bottom line. We still have a lead. I don't think we played bad. I don't think they played bad the last two games at home."  There will be one more game in New York, on Wednesday night, before the series shifts back to New Jersey on Friday for a Game 5 that is now necessary.
In other NHL playoff games Sunday, Philadelphia got even with Washington with a 2-0 road victory in Game 2, Boston cut Montreal's series lead to 2-1 with a 2-1 victory in overtime, and Calgary rallied from a three-goal deficit at home to beat San Jose 4-3 and take a 2-1 edge in the only Western Conference matchup of the day.
The Rangers won the opener after Devils goalie Martin Brodeur misplayed a puck to set up Ryan Callahan's deciding goal in the third period on Wednesday.
New York took advantage in Game 2 when New Jersey defenseman Colin White nudged Brodeur off the post just enough to give Jagr a small opening to fit a shot in during the third period Friday night.
Brandon Dubinsky's second goal Sunday — a power-play tally — came 55 seconds into the third period and got New York even at 3, setting up overtime. That's where the Rangers' run of good luck came to a screeching halt.
"No one predicted a sweep for the Devils or a sweep for the Rangers going into it," New York forward Brendan Shanahan said. "I don't think that anybody in here feels like the series got away or anything like that. It was a tight game. It was a strange bounce. It's not a devastating feeling to come back to work and get ready for next game."
With a two-day break before Game 4, Rangers coach Tom Renney gave his club Monday off to regroup before they return for practice on Tuesday.
The Devils didn't decide their preparation plans immediately after the victory. They were just happy to be talking about being back in a series that could've quickly gotten away if New York found a way to beat them again.
"We worked really hard," Brodeur said. "We couldn't afford to go down three games to nothing. We pulled it off on a lucky goal. I think they got a few of them, too."
New Jersey lost the first seven regular-season games to the Rangers before winning in a shootout last Sunday to close the season and secure home-ice advantage in this series.
So far, it's proven to be anything but for either team. The Rangers outscored the Devils 6-2 on enemy ice, only to come home and fall in front of the Madison Square Garden faithful.
"It's a tough building to play in, and it was really warm out there," Brodeur said. "A lot of guys were exhausted but we had the second effort all night long."
"We kept battling. We kept clawing," Madden said of the Devils, who have never been swept. "We knew there was no tomorrow if we didn't win this game."
Sergei Brylin made it 1-0 in the first, and Patrik Elias and Zach Parise scored power-play goals 2:23 apart in the second.
"It felt good to get some goals," said Parise, who scored one day after having root canal following a cross-check in Game 2 from Rangers defenseman Christian Backman that knocked out two front teeth. "We snuck a few by. They were ugly but we were working hard to get them.
"Patience and persistence paid off. We know we can score goals and we know we have the guys to do it, and we finally broke through."
Dubinsky, a rookie, scored his first two career playoff goals to get New York even at 1 and 3. Sean Avery scored for the third straight game, a 5-on-3 tally in the second period, and continued to be a pest to Brodeur. Jagr had three assists.
Brodeur shook off a blow to the head late in regulation, finishing with 27 saves and earning his 95th playoff victory. He has started 156 consecutive postseason games for the Devils.
Henrik Lundqvist, who hadn't allowed more than two goals in 10 previous games against New Jersey this season, stopped 29 shots.
Bruins 2, Canadiens 1, OT
Marc Savard came off the bench on a delayed penalty to score 9:25 into overtime, and the host Bruins beat Montreal for the first time this season.
Tim Thomas made 27 saves, stopping several shots at close range in overtime, and Milan Lucic also scored for Boston.
Alex Kovalev had a power-play goal and Carey Price stopped 29 shots for the Canadiens, who had beaten the Bruins in all eight games in the regular season and the first two of the playoff series.
Game 4 is back in Boston on Tuesday.
Flyers 2, Capitals 0
At Washington, Martin Biron made 24 saves for his third shutout in four games and Philadelphia tied the first-round series 1-1.
R.J. Umberger and Jeff Carter scored first-period goals on odd-man rushes, and the Flyers limited Alex Ovechkin to five shots.
The loss ended the Capitals' eight-game winning streak, as well as a victorious run of seven in a row at home. Game 3 is Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Flames 4, Sharks 3
At Calgary, Alberta, Owen Nolan scored with 3:45 left in regulation to complete Calgary's comeback.
Ryane Clowe, Patrick Marleau and Doug Murray scored in the first 3:33 against Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff. Curtis Joseph came on in relief and stopped all 22 shots he faced.
Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow and Dion Phaneuf scored for the Flames. Game 4 is Tuesday in Calgary. |