=== New Jersey Devils Team Report - June 3rd ===

(My Sportsbook) - New Jersey has lost all of its momentum in the Stanley Cup Finals thanks to two consecutive overtime losses in Anaheim. The Ducks' Steve Thomas scored 39 seconds into the extra frame as they took a 1-0 victory over the Devils in Game 4 at the Pond on Monday night.

New Jersey has now lost four straight games when reaching overtime and is 2-4 overall in the extra session this postseason. The best-of-seven set is now tied at two wins apiece. New Jersey had won the first two tilts of the series on home ice and return to the Meadowlands for Game 5 on Thursday.

Before last night's defeat, the Devils held a 2-1 edge in the finals and have won 12 of the previous 14 playoff series when owning a 2-1 advantage. Only one team has ever lost in the Stanley Cup Finals, in 28 opportunities, when sweeping the first two games on home ice. The 1971 Chicago Blackhawks hold that dubious distinction, dropping the Cup to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games after taking the first two in the series at home.

Martin Brodeur made 25 saves before giving up the game-winner in overtime, falling to 14-7 this year and 81-55 in his playoff career. He is also now just 8-18 in postseason overtime appearances. Brodeur needs only one victory to tie Ed Belfour (82) for fourth place on the all-time playoff goaltending victories list.

Patrik Elias and Scott Gomez each had three-game point streaks come to an end in last night's blanking. Elias had recorded two goals and three assists over that span, while Gomez had notched two each. The Devils were once again without the services of center Joe Nieuwendyk, who has missed all four games in the finals due to a hip injury.

New Jersey held Anaheim scoreless on its only power-play opportunity last night, and have stopped all eight of the Ducks' chances in the series (although hardly fairing much better with the man advantage in the four tilts at 1-for-12). The Devils have allowed only six scores with the extra skater in 64 tries (90.6 percent) in these playoffs.

Jamie Langenbrunner is the club leader with 16 points, including a team-high nine scores. John Madden is second with 15 points on six goals and nine assists. Scott Niedermayer is the team's top scoring defenseman at 14, while leading the Devils with 12 helpers.

New Jersey is in the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in the last four years, including a title run in 2000, and is facing the Mighty Ducks in the postseason for the first time in league history. The Devils lead the regular season series 12-5, including victories in both meetings this year.

Brodeur leads all playoff goaltenders with six shutouts and is tied for the lead with 14 wins. His 1.50 goals-against average and .940 save percentage are both good for second in the league behind Anaheim's Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

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