Ilya Kovalchuk’s go-ahead goal lifts Devils to 3-2 preseason win over Flyers

Kovalchuk’s goal lifts Devils over Flyers 3-2

NEWARK, N.J. — Ilya Kovalchuk scored the go-ahead goal with 2:19 remaining and the New Jersey Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night for their first preseason win.

Adam Mair and Travis Zajac also scored for the Devils, who had dropped three in a row — all in overtime or shootouts. They appeared headed for extra time again until Kovalchuk scored his third goal in three games. Martin Brodeur stopped 26 shots for the win.

Jeff Carter and Nikolai Zherdev scored for the Flyers (3-1-1).

Brian Boucher, who could play a major early-season role because of the injury to Flyers No. 1 goalie Michael Leighton, made 25 saves.

Carter gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead just 1:28 in when his close-in pass intended for Zherdev deflected into the net off Brodeur.

Mair countered for New Jersey at 8:42. He reached out to tip David Clarkson’s centering feed past Boucher.

Zherdev scored the only goal in the second period, giving Philadelphia a 2-1 lead at 15:47. Scott Hartnell, just back on ice following an interference penalty, set up Zherdev who corralled his own rebound. It was the fourth preseason goal in four games for Zherdev, a free-agent signing who played in Russia last season.

The Devils pulled even at 14:40 of the third when Zajac scored New Jersey’s first power-play goal of the preseason.

That set the stage for Kovalchuk, who took a lead pass from Mattias Tedenby, carried wide of a Flyers defender down the left wing before cutting to the net and tucking the puck past Boucher.