Hurricanes 2, Devils 1, OT

newjerseydevils.com – Just as the Devils expected, the Carolina Hurricanes were ready for Friday's Game 2.

Jersey's Team was up to the challenge, but the bounces went the way of the visitors. A game that was tied at 1 for the final 40 minutes of regulation wound up decided within the first three minutes of overtime.

Brodeur tracks the puck in Friday's contest. Photo Gallery | Game Highlights

Carolina's Tim Gleason scored the winner 2:40 into the extra session, one-timing a blast from the point that redirected into the net off of traffic in front of Martin Brodeur.

Brodeur finished with 30 saves. Cam Ward stopped 33 of 34 for Carolina.

Tied at a game apiece, the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal now shifts to Raleigh for Sunday's Game 3.

"We knew they weren't going to roll over," Brodeur said. "They showed some of the skills they have, and how physical they can be with their speed, like we are at times. I thought tonight we did a great job again, played a really good game. They got a few lucky bounces, but that's the playoffs. That's just the way it is. You have to overcome that and move on."

The Hurricanes established pressure early in the OT, and kept the Devils pinned deep in their own zone. Joe Corvo fed Gleason for the winner, which appeared to go in off of Niclas Havelid as he defended Carolina's Eric Staal.

"It was a bang-bang play," Havelid said. "It doesn't really matter who it hit. It's a tough loss, but we're moving on and looking forward to next game."

The Devils fell to 0-5 in postseason overtime against the Hurricanes. New Jersey is 13-24 all-time in playoff OT.

"They jumped at us in overtime," Patrik Elias said. "They were initiating more. We got stuck in our zone for two shifts in a row, and we should've been the team to initiate it. We just need to play and go get it."

Zach Parise had the Devils' lone goal on the power play, which finished 1-for-6. New Jersey's leading scorer during the regular season, Parise also scored in the Devils' 4-1 triumph in Game 1.

On Friday, his redirection of a Paul Martin shot put the Devils ahead midway through the opening period.

"I think they did play a lot better today, give them credit," Parise said. "But I thought we did a great job. We played well, too, and had our chances. But that's a good hockey team – you expect that."

Parise and Martin celebrate in the first.

Parise's goal came six seconds after he had one disallowed for a high stick. He batted a Martin rebound out of mid-air, but the tally was immediately waved off on the ice. A video review upheld the call.

"I couldn't tell," Parise said of the high stick. "Sometimes as a player you know. That one I didn't know. I thought I waited long enough for it (to come down)."

The Devils will hope to have captain Jamie Langenbrunner back in action for Sunday's contest. Langenbrunner left the game late in the second period with a lower body injury and did not return.

"We'll know more (Saturday)," said Devils head coach Brent Sutter. "We'll see what (Saturday) brings."

Langenbrunner's absence forced Sutter to adjust his lines.

"Of course you want to have your linemates that you've been playing with and played well with in Game 1," Parise said. "Hopefully it's nothing serious, and he'll be back next game."

The Devils came out in the first period right where they left off in the series opener. They carried the play early, at one point outshooting Carolina 10-4.

With New Jersey ahead 1-0 late in the period, Travis Zajac's hooking penalty gave the Hurricanes a chance to draw even. Staal's first of the series knotted the game at 1 with 24.7 seconds left.

Ray Whitney fired a shot wide off the endboards from the slot, and Staal put the rebound into the open left side before Brodeur could get across with his goal stick.

"We played really well and created some good chances," Brodeur said. "Defensively we did our jobs, and killed decent penalties. They got a lucky bounce on their goal, I think, with the shot wide and comes right back, a missile in front of the net. A lot of positives; the negative is that we're 1-1 (in the series). We've been playing some good hockey."

NJD NOTES
The power play has produced one goal in 10 chances, something the Devils would like to solve as the series progresses.

"We're moving the puck around well, and we got one," Zach Parise said. "It's a matter of putting it in the net. The chances are there."

Parise said the Devils saw a much more physical Hurricanes team in Game 2.

"We were ready for it," Parise said. "You expect something like that."

For Parise and the Devils, success in the series will be a matter of continuing to build on what they've done through the first two games.

"I don't think a team's ever won Stanley Cup going 16-0," Parise said. "It's a good hockey team over there, you don't go in expecting a sweep. We've played well the first two games, and we'll go down to Raleigh – there's not much to change for us."

• The Devils dropped both regular season meetings with the Hurricanes at RBC Center, but will now have to find a way to win at Carolina in order to advance past the first round.

"We need one win to regain home ice advantage," Martin Brodeur said. "It's a seven-game series, and nobody expected this to be a cakewalk. They showed that today with a lot of character and a good win for them. We need to do the same when we get to their building."

• PATRIK ELIAS sported a red bruise on the left side of his face after the game, and said he took a stick up high on the first shift. "It feels like the playoffs now," Elias said.

• JAY PANDOLFO collided with Erik Cole near the Devils net with 2:41 left in regulation. He left the ice, but returned for overtime. "I was just shaken up a little bit," Pandolfo said.