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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- All Bobby Holik remembered about
his game-winning goal in the New Jersey Devils' overtime win over
the Florida Panthers on Monday night was throwing the puck across
the crease.
In a game that featured seven goals on the first 10 shots, that
was enough.
|  | | New Jersey's Bobby Holik reacts after scoring the winning goal with 3:05 left in overtime. |
Holik's shot from the right circle with 3:05 left in overtime
was all the Devils needed to pull out a bizarre 6-5 victory in a game
that deserved to be played on Halloween.
"The game was too helter skelter," Holik said after the Devils
stretched their unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1). "We're not
playing smart at all. How lucky are we to come back form deficits
three times. We have to start playing better."
The game was the Panthers' best of the season in terms of goals
but all that earned them was another loss to the team that swept
them in the first round of the playoffs last season.
"This game was really bizarre, I don't think I've seen a game
like this in my 10-year career," said Panthers defenseman Bret
Hedican, who had two power-play goals in the first period. "I
think we were in command and the Devils were ripe for the taking
and we let two points slip away. It was one of those flukey nights
where the stars weren't aligned properly or something."
Patrik Elias and Scott Gomez scored two goals apiece and Sergei
Brylin added another for the Devils.
Olli Jokinen scored twice and Igor Larionov once for Florida,
which blew three two-goal leads in the first period and then came
back in the third to tie the game with 5:59 remaining on Jokinen's
second goal.
The game-tying goal came after Devils defenseman Ken Sutton
failed to clear a loose puck in front and Jokinen wristed a shot
over Martin Brodeur, who was left defenseless by his teammates two
nights after a 9-0 win over Pittsburgh.
Holik's game-winner came seconds after a centering pass by
Florida's Ivan Novoseltsev skidded through the Devils' crease.
Holik got the puck in center ice, skated into the Panthers' zone
and wristed a shot that beat goaltender Trevor Kidd.
Hedican was in front of Holik but he said he didn't deflect his
shot.
"I don't know what happened," Holik said. "I just picked it
up in the corner and shot it across the crease."
That was good enough.
New Jersey had rallied to take a 5-4 lead late in the second
period on power-play goals by Brylin and Elias.
The opening 10:48 of the game looked like a game between club
teams.
"The first period could have been 5-5 easily," Jokinen said.
"I think both teams were sleeping in the first period."
Florida led by two goals three times in the period, but the
Devils cut the margin each time getting the benefit of some bad
plays and great bounces.
Jokinen and Larionov staked Florida to a 2-0 lead by scoring in
a 25-second span in the opening 2:44.
A giveaway by defenseman Todd Simpson to Elias right in front
cut the lead to 2-1 at 3:55.
Hedican and Gomez then alternated scoring the next four goals.
Hedican's came on the power play with Sutton off the ice both times
and Gomez's came on flukey plays.
The first came after the Panthers broke up a 3-on-2 break, only
to have the puck hit off the skate of defenseman Robert Svehla and
go to Gomez all alone in front for his first goal of the season.
His second goal came on a shot that deflected off the leg of
Simpson and fooled Kidd, cutting the lead to 4-3.
Game notes
Devils forward Petr Sykora missed his third straight game
with a groin injury. ... The five goals was a season-high for the Panthers. Three was their previous best. ... Jokinen's goals were
his first since being acquired by the Panthers in a trade with the
Islanders in late June. ... Hedican has three goals in 10 games. He
had a career-high six last season. ... Alexander Mogilny had three
assists for New Jersey, which is now 4-0 at home this season.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Florida Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
New Jersey 6
Florida 5
Phoenix 4
Colorado 0
Edmonton 5
Anaheim 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Bobby Holik opts for the do-it-yourself approach and scores the game-winning goal in OT.
avi: 619 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Scott Gomez shoots the puck through Todd Simpson's legs and past goalie Trevor Kidd.
avi: 486 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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