9-Jan-2012 - Devils' Kovalchuk scores twice to sink Panthers

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Ilya Kovalchuk scored two third-period goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 victory over the nike nfl jerseys Florida Panthers Friday night. The win enabled the Devils to snap a two-game losing streak, while the Panthers lost for the second straight night, after falling in overtime to the New York Rangers on Thursday. Kovalchuk broke a 2-2 tie at 11:40, when he made a nice rush up the ice and took a return pass from Patrik Elias, who was playing in the 1,000th game. Kovalchuk added an empty-net goal in the closing minute, his 14th goal of the season. The Devils got a first-period goal from rookie Adam Henrique and a second-period goal from Elias, while Johan Hedberg had 22 saves for the Devils. It was Henrique's 11th goal of the season and the 14th for Elias. Zach Parise added an empty-net goal. The Panthers got a first-period goal from Mikael Samuelsson and a second-period goal from Krys Barch. Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves for Florida. The Devils opened the scoring by taking advantage during 4-on-4 play. Parise took a faceoff in the Florida zone, then skated behind the Panthers goal. He then spotted Henrique in front, whose first attempt was stopped by Markstrom, but Henrique stayed with the play and lifted cheap nba jerseys a backhand past him at 3:53 of the first period. The Panthers tied the game four minutes later, when Samuelsson, who has missed most of the season with injuries, got his second of the season. Marcel Goc skated in after making a steal in the New Jersey zone, then made a nice blind pass to Samuelsson trailing the play. Samuelsson fired a wrist shot that beat Hedberg at the 7:33 of the first. The Devils had a great chance to take the lead in the first period, but Petr Sykora's slapshot was smothered by Markstrom. The Devils then regained the lead just 36 seconds into the second period, thanks in part to Dainius Zubrus. Zubrus dug for the puck in the corner and got it out to Mark Fayne, who slid it across to Henrik Tallinder. Tallinder then drew the defence to him, leaving Elias wide open for a slapshot that beat Markstrom's glove side to give the Devils a 2-1 lead. The lead didn't last long. Barch scored his first goal as a member of the Panthers on a 4-on-2 rush, firing a shot through Hedberg's legs at 2:46 of the second. It was Barch's first goal since Feb. 24, 2011, when he was a member of the Dallas Stars. Former Devils forward John Madden, signed as a free agent earlier in the week, had a good opportunity to score in his first game with the Panthers against his former team. Barch skated in on Hedberg in the early stages of the third period and the goalie made a toe save with his right skate. The rebound came out to a wide-open Madden, but he couldn't tee up the shot to give the Panthers the lead. The Devils then broke the tie with 8:20 left, when Kovalchuk started the rush from buy NFL Jerseys his own end. He eluded two defenders, passed to Elias on the wing, then kept skating toward the goal to receive a return pass from Elias. Kovalchuk's quick wrist shot went past Markstrom for the go-ahead goal. Kovalchuk and Parise scored empty-net goals in the final minute, after the Devils killed off a penalty with a little more than two minutes left.

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