Rookies Rise at the Rock

The floundering Devils finally found a way to eke out a victory. New Jersey capped a 4-3 win over Edmonton at the Prudential Center in overtime. Ilya Kovalchuk netted a power play goal in the extra session as the Devils skated to their first home decision. The $100million forward for New Jersey also snapped a personal seven game goal drought. Kovalchuk netted the game-winner at 3:27 in overtime to break the Devils’ seven game slide in Newark. New Jersey is 5-10-2 while Edmonton dropped to 4-6-4.
The Oilers were 0-for-2 on power play opportunities and continued their dismal penalty-killing. Edmonton’s Colin Fraser scored a pair for first period goals in Martin Brodeur’s return to goal for the Devils. Fraser found the back of the net after Jordan Eberle’s pass went through the legs of defender, David Clarkson. Five minutes later, Fraser beat Brodeur by skating ahead of the Devils’ defenders and taking advantage of New Jersey mistakes in the defensive zone. He send a screened shot into the net for a 2-0 Edmonton edge. Rookie Alexander Vasyunov scored his first NHL and the only for the Devils in the opening period. Vasyunov took a pass from Patrik Elias to cut the Oilers’ lead in half.
Sam Gagner buried the Oilers’ third goal of the game during a second period line change lapse by New Jersey. Brodeur made 21 saves on the night and the defense tightened up as the game went on. Brian Rolston, in his first game back from a hernia, zipped the Devils’ second goal by Devan Dubnyk with a rebound from the crease. Rolson’s goal turned the game into a 3-2 contest late in the second period. Dubnyk made 35 saves for Edmonton, but couldn’t persevre the one-goal lead in the third period. Another Devils’ rookie, Mattias Tedenby secured a third period goal to tie the game at 3-3. It was Tedenby’s first career goal and the first power play goal by New Jersey on Friday night. The equalizer would hold through regulation as the teams went to an overtime period. Both rookie forwards played their best games so far in Friday’s win. The Devils’ penalty killing was perfect in stopping all four power-play chances.
The Devils snatched a victory in overtime on Kovalchuk’s rifle shot from the left circle. New Jersey earned two points for the win, pulling them out of a tie with Edmonton and the Islanders for fewest in points in the league. Elias had six shots on goal followed by Tedenby’s five and Travis Zajac’s four. New Jersey outshot Edmonton 39-24 and escaped the Rock with their first win this season. The Devils play at 8-4 Boston on Monday night.

Parting Points: Minnesota’s Kevin Love has arrived. Mr. 30-30 for the first time since before I was born (1982)

Boise State is 9-0 after pummeling Idaho 52-14.

OSU vs. PSU!

Song for Saturday- Dion and the Belmonts’ “I Wonder Why”