Flyers beat Devils in OT on Gagne's goal

NEWARK, N.J. - Different site. Same result.

For the second consecutive game, the Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit and defeated the New Jersey Devils, 3-2, last night.

This time, left winger Simon Gagne scored with 1 minute, 33 seconds left in overtime to give the Flyers the win at the Prudential Center.

It was Gagne's first goal in the last 13 games.

A 12-game stretch without a goal was weighing on him, said Gagne, who scored on a wrist shot from the high slot after almost scoring on two other attempts during the four-on-four shift.

"It's tough when you're getting scoring chances, but at the end of the game, you're still not scoring goals - and you know the team needs some goals to win hockey games and get better in the standings," Gagne said. "You want to help."

Added Gagne: "Every time you come to the game, you know it's on your mind the whole time. You try not to think too much about it, but it is. I think this one tonight will help me to take off the big monkey off my back."

The Flyers prevailed despite getting just 13 shots in regulation and equaling a franchise low with one shot in a period (the third).

The blizzard kept most fans home - the upper deck was virtually empty - but the 5,580 who showed up created a lot of noise and energy.

Midway through the third period, consecutive penalties to Braydon Coburn (interference) and Matt Carle (holding the stick) gave the Devils a five-on-three for 25 seconds.

The Flyers killed off the penalties and got a power play of their own with about 81/2 minutes left. The Flyers failed to connect, making them 0 for 4 on the power play.

After allowing two early goals, Michael Leighton settled into a groove and helped key the Flyers' rally, one that included goals by Arron Asham and Jeff Carter.

"We showed a lot of heart the last two games to battle back again after being down, 2-0," said Leighton, whose team is 4-1 against the Devils this season.

New Jersey has lost 11 of its last 15.

Gagne, aided by Carter's screen on the winning goal, thrived on the four-on-four situation.

"I like it because when you beat your guy, you have more open space," he said.

Even without high-scoring Zach Parise, who missed the game with an upper-body injury, the Devils jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on goals by Travis Zajac (45 seconds into the contest) and Rob Niedermayer.

But 32 seconds after Niedermayer's goal, the Flyers got to within 2-1 on a right-circle shot by Asham with 11:27 remaining in the opening period.

"We had a good cycle going, and [Claude Giroux] made a great pass," Asham said. "I just basically got it on net and the puck snuck by him."

Later in the period, the Flyers came within inches of tying the score.

Martin Brodeur, the Devils' future Hall of Famer, made a save on Scott Hartnell and nearly carried the puck into the net with 5:15 to go in the opening period. The play was reviewed, and it was ruled that the entire puck did not cross the goal line.

Leighton, meanwhile, settled into a groove after New Jersey's early flurry, enabling the Flyers to rally and tie the score at 2 heading into the final period.

Leighton made his third straight start because of Ray Emery's hip injury.

At 28, Leighton - who outdueled Brodeur, 3-2, on Monday - feels he is just reaching his prime. Goaltenders are known to blossom late in their careers, and the Flyers hope that is the case with Leighton, who, before this season, was never given a chance to be a No. 1 goalie for a prolonged period.

It takes time for goalies to "figure out the league, and how to handle the speed of the game - the speed of the shots and the speed in which things happen," coach Peter Laviolette said before the game. "Not all young players can figure it out right away."

When Laviolette coached Leighton in Carolina, the goalie was seldom used.

With the Devils holding a 2-1 lead, Carter scored the equalizer, taking a pass from Danny Briere and beating Brodeur from the left circle with 6:13 left in the second period. It was Carter's 24th goal, and it set up an interesting third period.