Travis Zajac and Ryan Carter celebrate the tie game goal (The Star-Ledger)
The New Jersey Devils came flying on the ice and dominated Game 2 to even up the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers.
The Devils had total domination of the first period both offensively and defensively. Ilya Kovalchuk scored first on a PPG for New Jersey to take a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission.
Rangers had some domination in the second period. Defenseman Marc Staal tied the game up in the second period, and rookie center Chris Kreider put New York ahead 2-1 on a PPG. Travis Zajac was sent to the box for a 2minute interference penalty that led to the goal.
Ryan Carter tied the game up for the Devils with two minutes left in the second period and David Clarkson put the Devils ahead for good two minutes into the third.
Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur saved 23 of 25 shots and was unbelieveable. He made a huge save off a Marion Gaborik shot that could have potentially put the Rangers back in the game.
“He’s calm, cool, and collected,” said Devils rookie center Adam Henrique of Brodeur. ”He plays the same way. When he speaks up everybody pays attention. He’s our leader. He’s been in a lot of these playoff runs and everyone looks up to him.”
Rangers’s goaltender Henrik Lundqvist also had a very solid performance and saved 24 of 27 shots by the Devils.
The Devils weren’t able to beat Lundqvist with just simple shots. Carter’s goal was a deflection off a shot by Bryce Salvador and Clarkson’s off an Henrique shot. Getting creative with goals was the only way the Devils were able to get the puck in the goal past Lundqvist.
“Henrique shoots it and I’m trying to get a stick on it,” said Clarkson on his goal. ”I think as a team we needed to get the puck more on the net. [Lundqvist] is one of the best goalies in the league for a reason and we needed to find a way to screen him.”
The Devils also worked more on faking shots to move Rangers defensemen out of the way of blocking shots rather than attempted to go around.
The series now moves to New Jersey on Saturday where both the Devils and the Rangers will fight to take a series lead.
