=== New Jersey Devils Team Report - May 22nd ===

(My Sportsbook) - New Jersey had a golden opportunity to close out the conference finals against the Senators on home ice Wednesday night, but let the chance slip away in overtime. Ottawa's Chris Phillips scored 15:51 into the extra frame to give the Sens a 2-1 victory over the Devils to stave off elimination in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at the Meadowlands.

New Jersey lost for the first time in nine contests at home this postseason. The best-of-seven series is now even at three wins apiece with a decisive Game 7 set for the Corel Centre on Friday night. The Devils, who are trying to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in four years, are 4-6 all- time in Game 7s have never lost a series in which it has led three-games-to- one.

Joe Nieuwendyk tallied the lone goal for New Jersey, the 60th of his 15-year playoff career, off of assists from Jeff Friesen and Scott Niedermayer.

Martin Brodeur made 32 saves in net to fall to 11-5 this year and 78-53 in his playoff career. He managed to stop all 13 shots he faced in the first period.

For the second consecutive game, and second overall in the series, New Jersey allowed a goal on the Sens' power play (1-for-4). The Devils have now killed 25 of Ottawa's 27 chances, though have not fared much better themselves with the extra skater, scoring just three times on 23 opportunities, with two of those coming in the Game 4 5-2 victory.

If the Devils can pull off the victory on Friday, they will have the home-ice advantage over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the Stanley Cup Finals. That series would begin in the Meadowlands on Tuesday night.

John Madden is the club leader with 14 points on six goals and eight assists. Jamie Langenbrunner is second with 13 points (7g, 6a), but has not found the net in nine consecutive games. Patrik Elias, who was the regular season scoring leader, has just two scores in his 16 playoff contests. Niedermayer's helper last night was his 10th of this postseason.

The Devils are making their third conference finals appearance in four years, including a Stanley Cup championship in 2000. They defeated the Boston Bruins, 4-1, in the opening round and the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1, in the semifinals to reach this point. This is the second meeting with the Senators in the postseason. Ottawa captured the 1998 opening round series four-games-to-two, including victories in all three contests on home ice. This matchup marks the first time that the top two seeds have met in the Eastern Conference Final since the playoff format changed in 1994.

New Jersey is appearing in the postseason for a franchise-record seventh straight year, and the 14th time in the past 16 seasons.