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Rolston propels Devils past Flyers

Oct 5, 2008 - 1:48 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- For the New Jersey Devils, their preseason finale featured an impressive display on the power play.

Brian Rolston scored a power-play goal midway through second period and added an assist as the Devils struck three times with a man advantage and held off the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3, on Saturday night.

David Clarkson also scored and John Madden added a shorthanded tally for the eventual game-winner as the Devils finished the exhibition season at 4-2-1 and will host the New York Islanders in the season opener on Friday.

Simon Gagne and Mike Richards scored power-play goals for the Flyers, who split their eight preseason games (4-4-0). Daniel Briere also scored and added a pair of assists.

Philadelphia hosts the New York Rangers in its season opener next Saturday.

The Devils were 3-for-5 with a man advantage and Rolston sparked the first two.

He set up a 5-on-3 tally by Bobby Holik just seven minutes into the contest by putting the puck on net and watching the 37-year-old center use his body to gather the rebound. Then he scored his first goal of the preseason by putting a slap shot past goaltender Martin Biron.

The Devils had scored just three power-play goals in their first six games, but equaled that total with just four seconds left in the second period when David Clarkson converted a centering feed from Zach Parise.

Madden scored the eventual game-winner by capitalizing on a miscue by Biron with just over six minutes remaining in the third.

Martin Brodeur made his third appearance and stopped 17 shots.