Fri Apr 18 22:15:41 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Jagr stars as Rangers eliminate Devils

---

Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Jaromir Jagr had a goal and two assists to help the New York Rangers advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of the quarterfinals at the Prudential Center.

Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky and Michal Rozsival each had a goal for the Rangers, who avenged a four-game sweep at the hands of the Devils in the opening round of the 2006 playoffs. Henrik Lundqvist finished the game with 23 saves.

Brian Gionta, Patrik Elias and Bryce Salvador each had a goal for the Devils, who were knocked in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since Philadelphia beat them in the opening round in 2004. Martin Brodeur allowed four goals on 22 shots in the game.

The Devils got on the scoreboard first at the 4:40 mark of the first. Travis Zajac grabbed the puck near the right circle, skated behind the net and from the left side centered the puck to Gionta, who one-timed the puck home for a 1-0 lead.

However, the Rangers answered with three goals to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.

Moments after the New Jersey goal, Jagr had the puck along the deep boards behind the left side of the Jersey net. He lost control of the puck, but it squirted out to the slot and Rozsival, cutting in from the point, fired the puck past Brodeur at the 4:58 mark.

Less than two minutes later, New York took the lead on the power play. Jagr had the puck near the right boards and held it for several seconds looking for a pass. Spotting no one, he took a stride in and from the right circle snapped a wrister between the pads of Brodeur.

With under two minutes to play in the opening stanza, the Rangers took a 3-1 lead. Sean Avery had the first chance as he tried to stuff the puck in from the right side. The rebound snuck out to the right circle where an uncovered Drury blasted the puck into the net with three Devils players mobbing Avery in front.

The Rangers kept up the pressure in the second period and made it a 4-1 game at the 5:35 mark. Nigel Dawes had the puck along the deep left boards and sent it across the ice to Drury, who one-timed the puck home.

Thanks to a couple of lucky bounces, though, the Devils were able to make it a one-goal game.

On an innocent dump-in from Salvador just outside the New York blueline, the puck hit off of Marc Staal, bounced past Lundqvist, hit off the post and then went off the back of the goaltender and into the net to make it a 4-2 game at the 9:26 mark of the second.

Then on a 5-on-3 power play, the Devils made it a 4-3 contest. Zach Parise's shot from the right side resulted in the puck bouncing out front. Elias chipped it on net and it hit off of Fedor Tyutin that knicked off the left skate of Lundqvist and into the net with 6:10 left in the second.

New Jersey had its best chance to tie the game in the third period with 7:08 to play. John Madden was sprung on a breakaway, but Dan Girardi tripped Madden before he was able to get a shot off and Madden was awarded a power play.

Madden skated in on net, went to the right side as he faked to the backhand, but Lundqvist had his stick on the ice and used it to keep the low shot out of the net.

The Devils were unable to get any consistent pressure in the New York end for the remainder of the game and Dubinsky's empty-net goal in the final minute of play iced the series for the Rangers.

Game Notes

The Rangers have now defeated New Jersey in four of the five playoff series between these two teams...Jagr led the Rangers in the series with two goals and six assists...New York went 1-for-2 on the power play while New Jersey finished 1-for-4.