Sykora scores twice as New Jersey secures position

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Game Information

Arena: IZOD Center Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey

Referees: StephaneAuger, DonKoharski Linesmen: RandyMitton, JeanMorin

Attendance: 19,040 (100.0% full)

Team Stat Comparison
227	Goals	205
258	Goals Against	187
48	Power Play Goals	44
80	Power Play Goals Allowed	43
8	Shorthanded Goals	2
5	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	8
1753	Penalty Minutes	1010
21	Average Penalty Minutes	12

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			NYR	NJD
1:14		Petr Sykora (Power Play) Assists: Patrik Elias, Jim McKenzie	0	1
3:01		Sandy McCarthy (Power Play) Assists: Mike York, Brian Leetch	1	1
2ND PERIOD			NYR	NJD
4:12		Petr Sykora Assists: Valeri Kamensky, Patrik Elias	1	2
14:53		Randy McKay (Power Play) Assists: Brian Rafalski, Patrik Elias	1	3
3RD PERIOD			NYR	NJD
No scoring this period			1	3

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- With the season winding down and the playoffs still in doubt, the New Jersey Devils are finally starting to look like a team headed to the postseason once again.

Petr Sykora scored twice and the Devils doubled the fun by improving their playoff hopes and hurting the Rangers' chances with a 3-1 victory over New York on Saturday.

"It's still fun to beat the Rangers, but these points are big, and it doesn't matter who you are playing," said Randy McKay, who got the Devils' other goal. "When you are fighting a team for a playoff spot, it's that much more important. That it's the Rangers, it's that much nicer."

The victory enabled New Jersey to solidify its hold on seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers dropped to ninth, one point behind Montreal for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Patrik Elias added three assists and Martin Brodeur made 24 saves as the Devils won their third consecutive game and sent the Rangers to their eighth defeat in 11 games.

The winning streak is the longest for the Devils since they won six in a row in the opening weeks of the season. It also gave them a four-point lead over its cross-river rival in the playoff race.

New Jersey, which was a victory from winning two consecutive Stanley Cups in June, has played two fewer games.

"It's been a while," Devils captain Scott Stevens said. "There have been times it's looked like we were ready to go, and then we took two steps back. Now we have a streak. It would be real nice to put a good run together."

Sandy McCarthy scored for the Rangers, who have a dozen regular-season games left to find a way to make the playoffs for the first time in five years. The last time New York missed the playoffs five consecutive seasons was 1951-55.

The Rangers have scored seven goals in their last five games, and only one has been tallied by one of their marquee players.

"It's no different than at any other time of the year, except we're running out of games," Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch said. "The games are becoming more and more important."

With both teams fighting for a playoff berth, the game was high-paced and entertaining with Brodeur and Rangers goalie Mike Richter providing most of the highlights.

After Sykora and McCarthy exchanged early power-play goals, the Devils took control with two second-period goals.

Sykora, who had only one goal in his last 18 games, put the Devils ahead for good at 4:12. Valeri Kamensky did most of the work, carrying the puck behind the Rangers' net, coming out the other side and sending a pass through the crease to a wide-open Sykora for his 18th goal.

"As long as you are getting chances you know there is going to be a time when the puck goes in," Sykora said. "It could not have happened at a better time because I felt the game we played today was one of the most important."

Richter, who faced 26 shots, prevented the Devils from expanding the lead with great saves on Brian Rafalski in close and another on a Scott Niedermayer two-on-one chance.

However, McKay broke an 11-game goal drought with a power-play goal in close at 14:53. Rafalski made a great cross-ice pass from the right point to set it up.

Brodeur made the save of the game with about nine minutes to play, stopping Eric Lindros in close on a power play.

Sykora staked the Devils to a 1-0 lead 74 seconds after the opening faceoff with a shot from the point. Richter had given New Jersey the power play by shooting the puck into the stands.

McCarthy got his third goal in four games, scoring on the rebound of Mike York's shot at 3:01. It was the Rangers' first power-play goal in six games.

Game notes
The sellout crowd of 19,040 was the fourth in a row for the Devils and their seventh of the season. ... Devils center Jason Arnott missed his second consecutive game with a back problem. ... New Jersey won the final three regular-season games with the Rangers, winning the series 3-1-1. ... Lindros returned to the Rangers lineup after missing two games with a bruised foot. ... Brodeur is 23-10-11 against the Rangers. ... New Jersey was 2-for-4 on the power play. The Devils have power-play goals in four consecutive games after failing to score with the extra man in six in a row.