Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Alexei Ponikarovsky scored with 2:39 left in overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Ilya Kovalchuk, who sat out Game 2 with a lower body injury, made a stretch pass from his own zone to Ponikarovsky while the Flyers were making a line change. Ponikarovsky skated down the right wing on a 2-on-1 and his initial shot was stopped by Ilya Bryzgalov, but he got his own rebound and backhanded it in for the win.
Kovalchuk posted a goal and two assists while Ponikarovsky and Patrik Elias each had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who took a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven series. Martin Brodeur posted 25 saves for the 105th win of his playoff career.
Brayden Schenn, Matt Carle and Danny Briere each scored for the Flyers, who wasted a pair of power plays in the overtime prior to the Devils scoring. Bryzgalov stopped 27 shots in the loss.
Game 4 of this series will take place on Sunday night in New Jersey.
The Sports Network