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Zubrus, Devils edge Rangers

Feb 4, 2011 - 5:39 AM New York, NY (Sports Network) - Dainius Zubrus notched a goal and an assist, as the New Jersey Devils edged the New York Rangers, 3-2, at Madison Square Garden.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Brian Rolston also scored for New Jersey, which has won six of its last seven games. Marty Brodeur turned aside 25 shots in the victory.

Vinny Prospal scored in his first action of the season for the Rangers, who went winless (0-2-1) during their three-game homestand and will aim to get back on track in Montreal on Saturday afternoon.

Prospal had right knee surgery in the offseason and missed the first 53 games, saying Thursday that he felt fortunate to be back.

"There were times when I thought 'Who knows how it's going to turn out' but I always wanted to come back," he said. "And [the goal] was like payback for all the rehab and time away."

Ryan Callahan scored the other goal for New York while Henrik Lundqvist yielded three goals on 12 shots before he was pulled from the net. Marty Biron stopped all six shots he faced in relief.

Kovalchuk's 15th goal gave New Jersey an early lead only 64 seconds into the game and Brodeur stopped all seven shots he faced for a 1-0 margin after 20 minutes of action.

At the 8:01 mark of the second period, Zubrus' ninth marker of 2010-11 gave the Devils a two-goal edge. Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi attempted a clear from his own end, but the puck was picked up by Henrik Tallinder in the neutral zone. Tallinder carried down the left side and passed into the slot for Zubrus, who released a wrist shot. Lundqvist got a piece of the disc, but not enough as it trickled behind him and barely crossed the goal line.

With 4:56 to play before the second intermission, New Jersey scored again and chased Lundqvist from the game. Patrik Elias took advantage of a turnover by Mats Zuccarello and quickly passed across the high slot for Rolston, whose blazing slap shot from the right side lit the lamp.

Callahan got the Rangers on the scoreboard soon after with his 12th goal. From a sharp angle in the lower portion of the right circle, Callahan beat Brodeur high and to the short side at 16:25.

The Rangers drew within one via a power-play goal at 2:21 of the final stanza. Prospal corralled the puck near the goal line to the right of the net and his attempted centering pass appeared to deflect off a stick in the crease area and flew behind Brodeur.

However, the future Hall of Fame goaltender stood tall the rest of the way and helped New Jersey hold on for the one-goal victory. In the final seconds, a Rangers attempt hit the post but slid away.

Game Notes

While Prospal returned, the Rangers will now be without another forward. Ruslan Fedotenko is expected to miss three weeks after an appendectomy. He had already missed the previous five games with a separated shoulder...It was Rolston's seventh goal of the season.