NEWARK, N.J. — Ilya Kovalchuk and Marek Zidlicky scored in a 1:11 span to cap a four-goal second period and the New Jersey Devils put themselves on the doorstep of a playoff berth with a 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
Dainius Zubrus, Jacob Josefson, Alexei Ponikarovsky and David Clarkson also scored as New Jersey matched its season high for goals in posting its second straight victory and overcoming a hat trick by Ryan Malone of Tampa Bay.
The Devils can return to the playoff for the 14th time in 15 seasons by earning one more point in their final four games or having the Washington Capitals fail to earn a point.
New Jersey missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1996, a run of 13 straight years. There was no NHL season in 2004.
Martin Brodeur had a relatively easy night, making 16 saves.
Dwayne Roloson gave up all six Devils goals on 34 shots before being replaced early in the third period by Sebastien Caron.
The four-goal second period gave New Jersey a 4-3 lead entering the third period. Ponikarovsky stretched the margin to two goals deflecting a shot by defenseman Bryce Salvador at 2:25 and Clarkson extended his career-high goals total to 29, scoring off Ponikarovsky’s rebound.
There were six goals in a wild second period in which the Devils fought back to tie it after each of Malone’s goals before eventually taking the lead on a power-play tally by Zidlicky with 5:23 left in the period.
Kovalchuk had tied it at 3-all with his 33rd goal just 1:11 earlier, taking a pass from Adam Henrique and scoring his 33rd goal.
Malone was the story for the Lightning with the aid of a couple of lucky bounces. He got his 16th of the season late in the first period, putting a puck that deflected off Steven Stamkos’ rear end into an open net.
Zubrus tied it after a Lightning giveaway set up a 2-on-1 short-handed chance that resulted in his 17th goal.
Malone restored the Lightning lead less than 2 minutes later with a shot that deflected past Brodeur off Zidlicky’s skate. A giveaway by Tampa Bay defenseman Eric Brewer allowed Josefson to tie it at 2-all at 6:54.
Malone completed his hat trick at 10:13, putting the rebound of a point shot by Victor Hedman into the net.
Trevor Smith scored for the Lightning in the closing seconds.
NOTES: The game was the first for Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier since breaking his hand Feb. 18. …The Devils scratched rookie D Adam Larsson for the second straight game. …Devils D Anton Volchenkov returned to the lineup after missing two games with a lower body injury. …Lightning D Bruno Gervais sent Kovalchuk flying with a first-period hip check. …Zubrus’ short-handed goal was the Devils’ 15th this season, tops in the NHL. ..The Devils won the season series 3-1.
-AP