Devils Make First Round Statement

If this was a precursor to a first round playoff series against the archrival Rangers, score one for the Devils, who fought back to win their seventh game in a row 3-2 at a capacity Continental Airlines Arena Sunday night. Their second consecutive win over the Rangers earned them a split of the season series and could setup a potential long opening round series when the playoffs begin in less than two weeks.

That's if they actually meet up. With four games left, the Devils have 93 points and trail the Flyers by two for fifth in the East. The Flyers have one game at hand but play the Devils twice later this week at CAA. Ultimately, that should decide who the Devils play in the first round.

The battlelines were drawn less than two minutes in when Rangers left wing Ryan Hollweg flattened Sergei Brylin with a clean shoulder hit knocking him into the glass and down to the ice. Shaken up, a bloody Brylin was helped back to the locker room by Devils trainer Bill Murray. Several minutes after Jamie Langenbrunner and Hollweg served roughing minors for that spill, the Devils senior forward returned to score the game's first goal.

With Fedor Tyutin and Marek Malik serving penalties 59 seconds apart, the Devils couldn't take advantage right away. But with time winding down on Malik's minor, revenge was served when Brylin redirected a Paul Martin point shot past Kevin Weekes at 13:46 to give the Devils the lead. He was credited with his 14th from Martin and Zach Parise on what looked like a double deflection, which might have gone off Erik Rasmussen in front.

In a period in which they were outshot 10-9, the Devils kept Jaromir Jagr in check during the first with an effective shadow job by Jay Pandolfo.

When Hollweg was whistled for a boarding major in which he left his feet to make a hit on Brian Rafalski early in the second, the Devils had a golden opportunity to increase their lead. But led by Weekes, the Rangers penalty killing unit thwarted them to turn the tide. Weekes closed the door on Brian Gionta and later denied Scott Gomez.

Gaining momentum from the effective kill, the Rangers drew even thanks to Blair Betts. Forechecking aggressively, Jason Ward picked up a Colin White clearing attempt and fed an isolated Betts, who ripped the puck past Martin Brodeur's glove inside the post to tie it at 13:54.

A shift later, White would take a boarding penalty on Martin Straka which would lead to further trouble. When Jagr setup Sandis Ozolinsh in front for a power play goal, the Rangers suddenly led 2-1 with 4:14 left.

The Devils continued to struggle when Gionta was whistled for hooking Jagr. But a stronger kill allowed them to get out of the period without further damage.

Though they carried the play in the third, the Devils almost fell behind by two. But Straka's left wing drive sailed harmlessly off the post with 11:55 remaining. It would prove pivotal a few minutes later when Gomez scored a highlight reel goal to tie it. Taking the puck from Rafalski inside his own blueline, he skated end-to-end through the entire Ranger D and beat Weekes with a backhand upstairs to send CAA to its feet with 8:27 left.

"I got a little lucky," Gomez told the AP. "I just found a hole and I took it."

Gomez' 31st goal sparked the Devils. When Straka was called for a hook on Patrik Elias, the Devils made him pay by connecting for the second time on the man-advantage.

On a play behind the net, Langenbrunner outmuscled a Ranger for the puck and fed Gionta on the doorstep for his team-leading 44th goal to put the Devils ahead 3-2 with 6:48 to go. "It was a short-side play." Gionta said. "Langenbrunner found me in front."

With four games remaining, Gionta needs two more to match Pat Verbeek's Devils record of 46 set back in 1987-88.

After denying the Rangers on a PP, they sealed the game by drawing two late penalties to end any doubt. The question is did they put any doubt in the Rangers minds?

Notes: The sellout was the fourth of the season for the Devils with two coming against the Rangers. ... Looking to match a career best with a fourth straight win, Weekes made 23 saves but ultimately fell short. ... With 24 stops, Brodeur notched his 39th win of the season. One more would extend his NHL record of 40-or-more to eight consecutive seasons. ... Devils defenseman Richard Matvichuk did not return for the third. His status is unknown. ... Rangers skated without Henrik Lundqvist (hip flexor), Tom Poti (upper body injury), Darius Kasparaitis (groin), Steve Rucchin (ankle) and Martin Rucinsky (finger). ... Devils (42-27-9, 93 pts) are at Carolina (51-21-6, 108 pts) Tuesday before hosting the Flyers in back-to-back games Thursday and Sunday.