Kovalchuk broke a scoreless tie at the 8:18 mark of the second period. The Rangers were set up in the New Jersey zone, but New York defenseman Marc Staal failed to keep the puck in at the right point. A speedy Kovalchuk gathered the puck at center ice and went in on a breakaway. Lundqvist, who stopped the first 17 shots he faced, failed to turn aside Kovalchuk’s wrister.
Volchenkov assisted on Kovalchuk’s goal.
“He made the plays in the defensive zone, not just to bring the puck out, but the right play at the right time,” Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said. “He played solid around the net and solid on the boards.