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Devils beat Oilers on Parise's OT winner

Jan 12, 2012 - 7:39 AM Edmonton, AB (Sports Network) - Zach Parise scored a power play goal 66 seconds into overtime to lift the New Jersey Devils over the Edmonton Oilers, 2-1, on Wednesday night.

Patrik Elias set up the game-winner with a pass from the side of the net that found Parise in front of the crease. Corey Potter was off for Edmonton after taking a tripping penalty with 36 seconds left in the third period.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored the other goal on a shorthanded break and had two points for the Devils, who won for the third time in four games. They are 11-2 in overtime this season.

"I thought it was a gutsy effort by us," Devils head coach Peter DeBoer said. "I thought is was a gritty effort and a gutsy two points."

Johan Hedberg had 22 saves for New Jersey and improved to 7-1 versus the Oilers. He outdueled fellow 38-year-old Nikolai Khabibulin, who allowed two goals on 25 shots for struggling Edmonton.

Ales Hemsky tied the game 8:32 into the third period, making it 1-1 with a slap shot from the left side that got through a screen.

But the Oilers fell to 4-14-2 in their last 20 games and couldn't rebound from a 1-6 road trip. They earned a point for only the third time in their last 13 games.

"We came back from 1-0 in the third. It's not like we had a 3-1 lead and gave it up," said Edmonton's Taylor Hall, who had an assist. "When you're losing going into the third and you come out with a point, it's not always a bad thing."

The Devils broke a scoreless tie suddenly.

They were shorthanded on David Clarkson's interference penalty, but Kovalchuk cheated to steal a pass at the blue line and skated directly at Khabibulin on a breakaway, snapping a low shot that beat the goaltender into the right side of the net.

It was New Jersey's league-high 11th shorthanded goal this season.

Game Notes

Parise extended his point streak to five games (two goals, six assists) and Kovalchuk upped his to four games (5g, 3a)...The Devils are 2-1 on a four-game road trip.