Devils rally for 4-3 overtime win over Oilers

Edmonton's Devan Dubnyk makes one of 35 saves during Friday night's game in New Jersey. The Devils went on to win 4-3 in overtime. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

 

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PRE-GAME

Preview Game Notes Head-to-Head Stats Comparison Video interviews Audio Interviews

PHOTOS

Click here for the photo gallery

VIDEO

Full Highlights Dubnyk's great save, Fraser takes a swing & Gagner adds a third Oilers Post-Game: Comments from Dubnyk, Hall, Fraser & coach Renney

AUDIO

Taylor Hall Devan Dubnyk Colin Fraser Head Coach Tom Renney Audio Highlights

THREE STARS

Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ Colin Fraser, EDM Devan Dubnyk, EDM

UPDATE

With the overtime loss, the Oilers fall to 4-8-3.

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Under the Scope

WHAT'S NEXT

The Oilers bus into NYC after the game and will begin to prepare for Sunday's matinee vs. the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The game starts at 10:30am MT and will be broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet West.

Despite carrying a lead through 49 minutes, the Oilers couldn't tie down the Devils late in the game. New Jersey dominated the final frame, outshooting Edmonton 12-3 and forcing overtime, paving the way for Ilya Kovalchuk's power-play game-winner in sudden death.

Under the Scope

Colin Fraser scored Edmonton's first two goals in the first period, good for second star honours, while Sam Gagner scored the club's final goal early in the second. Devan Dubnyk finished with 35 saves and the game's third star.

FIRST PERIOD

Only 46 seconds into the game, Edmonton went on the power-play thanks to a slashing minor to New Jersey's Travis Zajac. The visitors kept the puck moving well and got the puck on Martin Brodeur twice, but the goalie turned away both attempts.

Shortly after the return of five-on-five, Jordan Eberle got the puck and forced another scoring chance. After dancing up the ice into the Devils' zone, Eberle got the puck to Colin Fraser, who poked, proded, and eventually lifted it into the net to make it 1-0 Oilers.

The Devils responded by taking control in the Oilers' zone, but Devan Dubnyk came up with some big saves to preserve his club's lead.

New Jersey had control of the shot clock, but near the period's midway point, Fraser increased Edmonton's lead on the scoreclock. After Ryan Jones flipped the puck into the offensive zone and Zack Stortini kept a Devil off of it, Fraser swept in and fired past Brodeur to nab his second of the night and put the Oil up 2-0.

With just under eight minutes remaining in the period, Stortini hit Olivier Magnan and was faced with the wrath of David Clarkson. The players dropped their gloves and embarked on a lengthy scrap, concluding with joint fighting majors and an extra instigating minor to Clarkson.

The fight invigorated the crowd and their team. In the frame's final five minutes, Alexander Vasyunov completed a perfect around-the-net tic-tac-toe with a successful snapshot to cut Edmonton's lead in half.

Patrik Elias came close to tying the game for the Devils in the final minute, but Dubnyk slammed the door on number 26. As such, Edmonton headed to the second period up 2-1 and trailing 14-12 in shots.

SECOND PERIOD

Good scoring chances for both sides marked the early part of the middle frame, but the visitors were the first to cash in. After embarking on a two-on-one with Ales Hemsky, Sam Gagner stuck around for Taylor Hall's rebound and redirected it into the mesh to set the score 3-1.

The Devils cracked 20 shots as the period progressed, while the Oilers stayed close in the high teens. At 16:52, the extra attempts paid off. Although Dubnyk came up with two stops, Brian Rolston caught a rebound and flipped it over the sprawled-out goalie to narrow the visiting lead.

The 3-2 game persisted until the buzzer, ensuring the Oilers would start another period with a one-goal lead.

THIRD PERIOD

Five minutes into the third, New Jersey benefited from its first power-play when Jason Strudwick was called for hooking. The Devils immediately pounced, but Dubnyk stopped the initial rush with a flashy glove save and then relied on his penalty-killers to steadily clear the puck.

The power-play helped the Devils attain and surpass 30 shots; a second power-play four minutes later put them on even territory. Poised at Dubnyk's left, Mattias Tedenby caught a piece of Andy Greene's point shot to tie the game at three with nine minutes left to play.

A go-ahead goal remained elusive for both teams and the game progressed into overtime.

OVERTIME

2:41 into sudden death, Dustin Penner took a penalty and the Devils went on a four-on-three power-play. 46 seconds into the man-advantage, Ilya Kovalchuk fired past Dubnyk to seal a 4-3 overtime win for the Devils.