Ottowa's overtime goal keys 3-2 win over Devils

Shaun Van Allen scored the game-winner three minutes into overtime.
OTTAWA (AP) -- Shaun Van Allen and the Ottawa Senators displayed a dramatic flair in their first Eastern Conference finals game.
Van Allen tipped Martin Havlat's pass into a wide-open net 3 minutes, 8 seconds into overtime Saturday night, lifting Ottawa to a 3-2 series-opening win over the New Jersey Devils. The Senators won despite squandering an early 2-0 lead.
Chris Neil and Todd White also scored for the Senators, making their first third-round appearance in their 11-year history. Patrick Lalime finished with 32 saves, and set a playoff record with his 11th straight game of allowing two goals or fewer.
Joe Nieuwendyk and Jay Pandolfo scored for the Devils, and Martin Brodeur made 27 saves. New Jersey is in the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in four years.
Van Allen's first playoff goal in 55 career games came with relative ease. In on a 2-on-1 break, he fed a pass across to Havlat, which drew Brodeur out to the top of the crease. Havlat sent the puck back to Van Allen, who had an open net at which to shoot.
In control
The Senators appeared to be in control when they scored twice on their first four shots 7:23 in.
Magnus Arvedson's blind backhander toward the net, deflected in off Neil's skate. White scored 73 seconds later by flipping in a rebound after Brodeur kicked away Chris Phillips' point shot.
The Devils, playing their first game since May 2, responded with a pair of goals scored 2:32 apart in the second period.
Jeff Friesen, at center, redirected Scott Niedermayer's pass giving Nieuwendyk a partial breakaway up the left wing. Driving to the net, Nieuwendyk snapped a shot and beat Lalime on the short side at 14:19.
John Madden played a big role on Pandolfo's game-tying goal. Outmuscling Senators defenseman Curtis Leschyshyn deep in the Ottawa zone, Madden fed the puck up the boards where Jamie Langenbrunner set up Pandolfo for a one-timer atop the left circle.
Goaltending duel
In a series involving this postseason's two best goalies, Lalime had the early edge -- stopping the first 19 shots he faced. He got his blocker out to deflect Brian Gionta's shot from in close in the early going.
Brodeur was strong in keeping the Devils in the game. Along with stopping Bryan Smolinski on a 2-on-1 break late in the first period, Brodeur foiled Daniel Alfredsson on a breakaway, getting his stick out to prevent the Senators captain from cutting across the slot.
His best save came 4:30 into the third period on Havlat, who was in alone. Faking forehand, Havlat went backhand only to have his shot stopped when Brodeur held his ground and kicked out his left leg.
Niedermayer left the game shortly before the winning goal. The defenseman appeared woozy, and required help getting off the ice after he was struck in the back of the helmet by a point shot from Ottawa's Anton Volchenkov.