Devils edge nearer to Stanley Cup

The New Jersey Devils let a three-goal lead slip away against the New York Rangers but scored twice in the third period to claim a 5-3 win and move within touching distance of a place in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. The Devils centre Ryan Carter lit the lamp from a feed by Stephen Gionta with 4.24 remaining to push New Jersey ahead, and Zach Parise removed any suspense by scoring a goal with 30 seconds left. The victory lifted New Jersey to a 3-2 lead over their cross-river rivals in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals and they will have the chance to seal a place in the Stanley Cup when the series returns to New Jersey on Friday. The Devils are aiming to return to the finals for the first time in nine years. The Los Angeles Kings have already booked their place in the Stanley Cup finals after wrapping up the Western Conference title in five games over the Phoenix Coyotes.Gionta, who joined New Jersey from their American Hockey League affiliate, got the Devils going, flipping a rebound past Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist less than three minutes into the game. Ninety seconds later, Patrik Elias deflected in another goal before New York had registered a shot on Brodeur. The Garden crowd were stunned into silence when Travis Zajac's blistering slap shot on a three-on-two break got past Lundqvist low on the stick side for a 3-0 Devils lead with 10.11 remaining in the opening period. That rocket seemed to wake up the Rangers players, who upped the tempo. The Devils had the last laugh though they turned the tables on the Rangers. Gionta raced to the corner to win the puck along the boards and centred to Carter, who rushed in just ahead of Carl Hagelin and put the game-winner past goalie Lundqvist.