The New Jersey Devils finally won a game in their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes. It took two overtimes and a young defenseman to beat Freddie Andersen, but when Simon Nemec scored the goal, the Prudential Center erupted. Those multi-overtime game is unique to hockey. There are no more stressful or exhilarating periods of sport than overtime hockey. When going past that first overtime, the stress goes up a notch.
Nemec's goal in double overtime wasn't the first example of heroics for the Devils after more than 80 minutes of action. In fact, the Devils have won Stanley Cups in double overtime, competed in at least one Game 7 that went beyond the extra period, and other very exciting scenarios. Let's take a look at every time the Devils played more than one overtime in franchise history.
1994 First Round
Game 6
Buffalo Sabres
Over their first few runs in the postseason, the Devils didn't play in any game that went past one overtime. They made up for it in their first ever double overtime game. With the Sabres facing elimination, we saw one of the greatest goaltender duels ever, and it was the two greatest goalies of all time in net. Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hasek shut out their opponents for 125 minutes before the Sabres' Dave Hannon forced a Game 7. Luckily, the Devils won that game and prepared them for more chaos later in the playoffs.
1994 Eastern Conference Finals
Games 1, 3 and 7
New York Rangers
The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals is one of the most underrated series in the history of sports. It had everything. There were three games that went to multiple overtimes. The Rangers were the traditional powerhouse trying to win their first championship in decades. The upstart Devils were trying to gain respect with an incredible nucleus that would eventually win three Stanley Cups.
The Devils and Rangers played into double overtime three times in this series. Game 1 went to double overtime, setting the stage for an insane series. Claude Lemieux scored with less than a minute left to tie the game, then Stephane Richer won the first game for the Devils. The Rangers repaid the favor in Game 3, beating the Devils 3-2.
We’ve talked about too much about what happened in Game 7. Stephane Matteau scored the goal in double overtime to send the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks. The Rangers won the series, and it was their only Stanley Cup since.
2000 Stanley Cup Final
Games 5 and 6
Dallas Stars
The New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup on a double overtime goal. It's one of the greatest goals in NHL history. There are only a few walk off goals in the history of this league. But before that, the Stars kept the series alive in TRIPLE overtime. The Devils and Stars sent each other to the brink, but Game 5 was insane. Just like against the Sabres, the Devils and Stars went into the third overtime without a goal for either team. These shutout performances became a thing for Brodeur. After his offense let him down, they came up in a big way just a few nights later.
Patrik Elias goes into the corner, he finds Jason Arnott open in front, and the rest is history. The Devils were able to raise their second Stanley Cup in walk-off fashion. It’s unfortunate they couldn’t do this at home, but it is what it is. Looking back at the videos feels legendary.
2003 Conference Semi-Finals
Game 5
Tampa Bay Lightning
On the way to the Devils' third Stanley Cup, New Jersey faced a Tampa team that seemed overwhelmed. They only had one win in their first four games. So, when the Lightning went into Game 5, they weren't going down without a fight. The Devils and Lightning both scored a goal in the first period. They didn't score again until triple overtime. That's where Grant Marshall scored the goal that made him a legend for Devils fans. He walked the Devils off to the Eastern Conference Finals.
2007 Conference Semi-Finals
Game 2
Ottawa Senators
The New Jersey Devils were a pretty good team in the time after the NHL Lockout, but they weren't the championship team they were before it. They had lost Scott Stevens to retirement and Scott Niedermayer to the Anaheim Ducks. Still, they wanted to keep things going while Martin Brodeur was in his prime. Unfortunately, it took everything just to get a win in the 2007 semi-finals. Against the Senators, the only win of the series came when Jamie Langenbrunner scored just two minutes into double overtime of Game 2.
2012 First Round
Game 7
Florida Panthers
The 2012 New Jersey Devils’ great run was almost not meant to be. They were one bad bounce or one missed Brodeur save from ending their season in the first round. The Devils went into double overtime of Game 7 versus the Florida Panthers, and that’s when the Adam Henrique legacy began. The then-rookie scored on a turnaround shot that went past Tomas Vokoun. The Devils won the series on that goal, then they beat the Flyers and Rangers in epic fashion before losing to the Los Angeles Kings in the Final.
This latest example from Simon Nemec is the 10th such game that went into double overtime. The Devils are 7-3 when games go to double overtime.