New Jersey Devils Overtime Success Should Come as No Surprise to Anyone

Published: 4^th May 12 7:38 pm

Steve Palumbo
NJ Devils & Five Hole Dive Featured Writer

RANT It!

Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

The New Jersey Devils lead the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in their best-of-seven series after another exhilarating 4-3 overtime win in game 3. This time Alexei Ponikarovsky was the hero, scoring the game-winner and his first goal of the players late in the first overtime to give New Jersey the win.

It was the Devils third win in four overtime playoff games this year. They needed overtime in both games 6 and 7 of their opening round series with the Florida Panthers to move on and face the Flyers.

New Jersey played their third consecutive OT in the game 1 of this series. Only this time losing in the extra period before getting back on track with Thursday nights emotional win in front of a frenzied crowd at the Prudential Center.

Although the Devils have a checkered playoff overtime past, this years success should come as no surprise to anybody that followed this team all season. New Jersey was great all season long when the outcome couldn’t be decided in regulation.

The Devils finished the 2011-12 regular season with 16 wins after regulation. Of course they did have the luxury of the shootout to fall back on, but the experience they gained from their non-regulation success is paying dividends in the playoffs up to this point.

Another playoff win and another playoff hero. Ponikarovsky can now add his name to the ever growing list of heroes on the Devils bench.

All six of the Devils playoff game-winning goals have been scored by different players. Travis Zajac, Zach Parise, David Clarkson, Ryan Carter, Adam Henrique and Ponikarovsky have all come through in the clutch to help the Devils get to this point.

I don’t think another team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs can make the same claim. Not bad for the oldest team left in the chase for the Cup, eh?

Nobody in the Devils locker room is getting ahead of themselves. They all know they have plenty of work to do, but I said it last night and I’ll say it again….this team is starting to make me believe in them and for the first time I actually felt like they could win this whole darn thing.

The teams will have an extra day off between games 3 and 4 before resuming the series Sunday at the Rock.

Follow me on Twitter! @StevePalumboNHL

Email me at [email protected]

Buy New Jersey Devils Tickets | Buy New Jersey Devils Apparel

Connect with Rant Sports