Sykora’s Late Goal Lifts Devils Over Red Wings

Petr Sykora broke a tie with 8:40 left, Alexei Ponikarovsky also had a goal and Martin Brodeur made 23 saves in the New Jersey Devils' 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

Tomas Holmstrom scored for Detroit, fighting Central Division rivals Nashville and Chicago for home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Jimmy Howard stopped 19 shots. The Red Wings were coming off a 3-2 shootout win in St. Louis on Wednesday night.

Sykora beat Howard from in front after taking a pass from Patrik Elias. It was Sykora's 20th goal.

Ponikarovsky opened the scoring with 9:47 left in the first period when he put in a rebound for his 14th goal. Holmstrom tied it on a power play 6:13 into the second period. He put Jiri Hudler's cross-crease pass into an empty net for his 11th goal.

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