Associated Press
Martin Brodeur made 27 saves as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Rangers 4-1 on Monday night in Game 4 to even the Eastern Conference Finals at 2-2.
Zach Parise had two goals and an assist and Bryce Salvador and Travis Zajac beat Henrik Lundqvist less than four minutes apart in the first period in a series where the intensity and the emotions are picking up.
Brodeur even notched an assist in the third, on Parise's empty netter, capping a game in which the Devils maintained their composure and bounced back from a 3-0 shutout in Game 3, while the Rangers took several uncharacteristic penalties.
Game 5 is Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
This game was one where the chippiness increased with each period. The Rangers'Marc Staal whacked Patrik Elias in the back of the knee with his stick in the second. Ryan Callahan, the Rangers captain, and New Jersey's Ilya Kovalchuk tussled. And finally, Rupp, a former Devil who scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for New Jersey in 2003, jabbed Brodeur in his crease in the third after a stoppage in play.
That almost set off a free-for-all among the players on the ice, especially after Brodeur reacted like he had been hit by a roundhouse right. The Rupp punch came about four minutes after Parise scored on a power play to give New Jersey a 3-0 lead.
Ruslan Fedotenko ruined Brodeur's bid for his 25th career playoff shutout with just over five minutes to play.
The Rangers pulled Lundqvist, who had shut out the Devils in Games 1 and 3, with less than three minutes to play, and Brodeur made two outstanding saves to keep it a two-goal game.
• COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY
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STATS OF THE GAME
Game 4 marked the first time the Rangers allowed more than three goals in a contest during the 2012 playoffs. The Blueshirts tied an NHL record by holding their opponents to three goals or less in 17 consecutive games to begin the postseason. In addition, Ruslan Fedotenko scored his first goal of the playoffs. In each of the last two playoff years that he has scored a goal, his team has gone on to win the Stanley Cup. |
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| (selected by newyorkrangers.com) |
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| 1. Fedotenko |
2. Rupp |
3. Richards |
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[51-24-7]
[48-28-6]