New York, NY (Best E Casino) - Marc Staal scored the game-winning goal with 3:13 remaining in regulation, lifting the
New York Rangers over the
New Jersey Devils, 5-3, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.
Scott Gomez had a pair of tallies, while Chris Drury and Martin Straka each added a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who have taken a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves.
"It's important to find a way to win games like this," said Lundqvist. "It's intense. There's a lot of scoring chances, a lot of guys in front of both nets. It's a tough game, but it's a fun game. It feels like you're in a big battle."
Patrik Elias scored twice, while Mike Mottau also lit the lamp for the Devils, who sit on the brink of elimination. Martin Brodeur stopped 34-of-38 shots in defeat.
The series will shift back to Jersey for Friday's Game 5 matchup at the Prudential Center.
The Devils made it a 3-3 game early in the third period, getting plenty of pressure down low before Mottau ripped the puck past Lundqvist at 4:37.
Staal became the hero, though, as he rifled a shot through traffic and past a stunned Brodeur after the Devils failed to clear with just 3:13 remaining in the contest.
Gomez was credited with an empty-net tally with 13 seconds left to ice the win.
"It's great. Again, it's very cool to score a goal in the playoffs, and for it to be the winner at the end of the game like that, it's exciting," said Staal. "Up 3-1, it's a big game for us, and hopefully we can close it out on Friday."
The Rangers were looking for a fast start, and it was Gomez who broke the ice in the first period to put them up 1-0. On the power play, the former Devil was able to slip in behind defenseman Bryce Salvador, tipping Dan Girardi's feed past the stick of Brodeur at 12:37.
A four-goal second period followed.
Elias tied it up just 31 ticks into the stanza, sweeping a rebound over Lundqvist's right shoulder during an odd-man rush.
The Blueshirts answered right back, though, as Brandon Dubinsky set up Straka for the go-ahead tally. It came during a 2-on-1, as Dubinsky held the puck along the right wing until putting the feed on Straka's stick. He finished off the play by one-timing the puck past a diving Brodeur at 2:53.
The Devils then cashed in while up a man, as Elias beat Lundqvist on the short-side for his second goal of the night, making it a 2-2 game at the 6:58 mark. The tally came on the heels of a bench minor for the Rangers, who were penalized for too many men on the ice.
Drury's tally made it 3-2 a short time later, as he deflected Fedor Tyutin's slap shot from well out in front of the crease. Brodeur never saw the redirect, until the puck ricocheted underneath the crossbar with 7:21 remaining in the period.
"It's just part of the game," said Brodeur. "I think for some reason right now they're able to get in front of the net with a lot of speed and (to collect) rebounds. They're around the net a lot and they're able to score goals."
Game Notes
Mottau scored his first career playoff goal for New Jersey... Staal's tally was his first ever in the postseason...Of New Jersey's nine goals in the series thus far, only five have been scored at even strength, with the others on the power play...New York has been shorthanded 20 times over the first four games... The Blueshirts were 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Devils were 1-for-3.
