Devils find the power in overtime
Beat Senators on Rolston’s goal
NEWARK, N. J. — The New Jersey Devils signed Brian Rolston to quarterback the power play. The move is paying off now.
Back up to speed after an ankle injury, Rolston scored a power- play goal 1:43 into overtime to give the Devils a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night.
Rolston’s winner came on a slap shot from about 40 feet with Senators defenseman Brian Lee and Devils forward Brian Gionta standing in front of goalie Alex Auld.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle coming back from my ankle,” Rolston said. “It was just a four-on- three situation and I just pulled it to the middle. [Gionta] had a good screen in front and I got off a good shot. There wasn’t much complicated about it.”
Auld didn’t have much of a chance.
“I did see the shot but then I lost it along the way,” said Auld, who made 31 saves. “It was kind of a weird play. It still hit me in the blocker or the arm and sort of bounced down. I felt it hit off the back of my feet. I kind of knocked it in trying to close it up.”
Rolston has five goals in his last 10 games and six overall in 20 games this season, his first with New Jersey since he was traded to Colorado in November 1999.
Jamie Langenbrunner forced the overtime for New Jersey with a power-play goal with 3:40 left in regulation. Defenseman Johnny Oduya got the primary assists on both goals.
Dainius Zubrus also scored twice, and Scott Clemmensen made 17 saves to help New Jersey win for the fourth time in its last five games and the seventh time in 10.
“It was a bit of a sluggish game,” said Rolston, who missed 18 games because of a high ankle sprain. “We weren’t on top of our game. It seems like recently, we’ve had a way of pulling these games out. It shows the character of the hockey team.”
Nick Foligno, Brendan Bell and Chris Kelly scored for Ottawa, 3-8-2 in its last 13 games. The Senators are 1-4-1 on their eight-game trip while the world junior tournament is in Ottawa. Ottawa travels to Buffalo on Tuesday to face the Sabres.
“It’s the story of the Devils,” Auld said. “Any time you make a little mistake or take an untimely penalty they jump on it.”
Clemmensen is 15-6-1 since taking over for the injured Martin Brodeur and he could tell the Devils were not at their sharpest.
“We were right there the whole game,” Clemmensen said. “But we just lacked that extra push to get us into high gear.”
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