Recap: New Jersey vs. Washington
Sports Network | November 15, 2008
Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Zach Parise scored the winning goal in the shootout and the New Jersey Devils, who surrendered the tying goal to Alexander Ovechkin with one second left in regulation, recovered to beat Washington, 6-5, at the Prudential Center and split a home-and-home set.
The Capitals posted a 3-1 win Friday in Washington.
New Jersey goaltender Scott Clemmensen made a glove save on Viktor Kozlov to begin the shootout. Parise then beat Jose Theodore on a backhand-forehand deke. After a scoreless second round, Clemmensen poke-checked an unsuspecting Boyd Gordon to preserve the win.
Patrik Elias registered two goals and an assist for the Devils, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Travis Zajac collected three assists, while Parise recorded two helpers. Clemmensen made 25 saves and picked up his first win since January 1, 2008.
Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and four assists to lead the Caps, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. Ovechkin finished with two goals and an assist, while Kozlov scored a goal and assisted on another. Theodore allowed five goals on 33 shots in defeat.
The Devils grabbed a 4-3 lead at the 6:06 mark of the third period. Elias took a rink-wide feed from Zajac, galloped down the left wing and rifled a shot that caromed off Theodore's shoulder.
Backstrom tied the game two minutes later, but Brian Gionta restored the lead for New Jersey. Johnny Oduya held the puck at the top of the left circle and the diminutive forward, who was uncovered in the slot, tipped his pass behind Theodore with 8:20 remaining.
Ovechkin netted the tying goal in dramatic fashion. With the net vacant at the other end, chaos ensued in front of Clemmensen. Backstrom emerged from a mass of humanity with the puck and dished across the crease to Ovechkin at the left side of the net and he hammered the puck home.
David Clarkson went to the slot and banged in John Madden's centering feed from behind the net past Theodore 1:09 into the contest, but Tomas Fleischmann answered for Washington, scoring a power-play goal through the right arm and body of Clemmensen at the 6:59 mark.
The Capitals grabbed a 2-1 lead in the final minute of the opening stanza. Rookie defenseman Tyler Sloan let a shot go from the point that was redirected by Ovechkin with 50.7 seconds remaining. Ovechkin, The reigning MVP and Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy winner, has goals in four consecutive games after going a career-long nine games without a tally.
Jamie Langenbrunner tied the score 41 seconds into the second period, and New Jersey pulled ahead on the power play. Amid a goalmouth scramble, Elias managed to shovel the puck across the line at the 3:27 mark.
However, Kozlov's shot right off a faceoff beat Clemmensen through the five- hole with 3:17 to play in the frame.
Sloan picked up his first career assist...Washington had not allowed more than two goals in any of its previous six games...Washington forward Alexander Semin, who entered Saturday the league's leading scorer with 27 points, missed the game with an undisclosed upper-body injury.
