Ducks Go Down In Shootout Against Devils

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Ilva Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias scored shootout goals and the New Jersey Devils beat the red-hot Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Friday night.

Martin Brodeur made 36 saves and preserved the shootout win with a pad save on Ryan Getzlaf as the Devils won for the seventh time in nine games and handed the Ducks only their seventh loss (14-3-4) since the start of the year.

Getzlaf appeared to score 1:10 into overtime, but the goal was waved off after a review showed he kicked the puck into the net.

Anaheim's Sheldon Brookbank forced the overtime, scoring with 2:13 to play in regulation. It was his first goal since March 31, 2009, a span of 167 games.

Corey Perry, who hit a goalpost in the shootout, continued his recent scoring spree for the Ducks, collecting his sixth goal in the last four games.

Adam Henrique and Alexei Ponikarovsky scored in regulation for the Devils, 10-3 in shootouts.

Brodeur made several good saves in the third period before Brookbank tied it on a nice feed from Andrew Cogliano. Brodeur made a sprawling stop Perry on a 2-on-1 short-handed chance with 6:30 to play and stoned Niklas Hagman in close earlier in the period

Jonas Hiller also kept the Ducks alive in the third period, stopping Kovalchuk twice. The first came on a 2-on-1 chance and the second on a shot from between the circles with 35 seconds left in regulation.

Perry got the Ducks on the board with 3:52 left in the second period, depositing the rebound of Getzlaf's shot past Brodeur for his 29th goal of the season.

Henrique and Ponikarovsky staked New Jersey to a 2-0 lead with goals in the first 10:56 of the period.

Henrique opened the scoring at 1:25 with his 15th goal of the season. Kovalchuk took a shot from between the circles that Hiller stopped, but the Devils rookie got to the rebound before Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin and slid the puck into the net.

Ponikarovsky's goal was a little lucky. Defenseman Matt Taormina sent the puck hard around the boards from the left point and found its way to Dainius Zubrus midway along the right boards. The center made a quick pass to an unguarded Ponikarovsky in front and he redirected it past Hiller.

Brodeur was under a lot more pressure than Hiller in the first two periods and made several outstanding saves. Brodeur stopped Nick Bonino in front seconds before a Devils' counterattack led to Ponikarovsky's 10th goal. Brodeur also stopped Jason Blake in close on Getzlaf's setup with 7:16 left in the period.

The 39-year-old goaltender also had two good saves in close against former teammate Rod Pelley in the first two periods.

Pelley was traded to the Ducks in December in a deal that brought defenseman Kurtis Foster to New Jersey.

NOTES: Hiller has started 17 straight games for Anaheim. ... Devils rookie D Adam Larsson missed his seventh straight game with a bruised lower back. ...This was the Ducks' first game at the Prudential Center since Nov. 11, 2009. ... The Ducks' George Parros opened a gash over Eric Boulton's left eye in a first-period fight.