The Devils and the Rangers, tied 3-3, will head to a shootout in tonight's game at the Prudential Center.

Christensen SCORES on Rangers first attempt.

Parise MISSES on Devils first attempt.

Anisimov MISSES on Rangers second attempt

Elias MISSES on Devils second attempt

Dubinsky MISSES on Rangers third attempt

Zajac MISSES on Devils third attempt

Rangers win shootout, 1-0, and win game, 4-3.

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Chris Drury scored with 16 seconds left to tie the game, 3-3.

Erik Christensen made a nice pass for the goal. Possessing the puck behind the net, Christensen put a backhand pass through the legs of defenseman Colin White and to the crease. Drury one-timed the puck through the Brodeur's legs for his 12th goal of the season.

The Devils led in shots through three periods, 37-27.

Langenbrunner's goal at 12:57 puts the Devils ahead, 3-2.

Elias sent a backhanded pass to Langenbrunner along the blue line. The captain skated the puck into the left circle and blasted a puck past Lundqvist for his 17th goal of the season.

Elias missed his second breakaway opportunity 50 seconds before the goal. Skoula found Elias with a long pass from the defensive zone. Elias came in alone and tried to put the puck through Lundqvist's pads. The Rangers' goalie closed the pads and denied the goal.

Artem Anisimov's goal at 9:40 of the third period tied the game at two.

Anisimov's goal came from a bad defensive play by Bryce Salvador. With Brandon Prust and Salvador racing for the puck in the Devils zone, Salvador decided to try and play Prust instead of the puck. Prust skated by Salvador and sent a centering pass to Anisimov at the front of the net. Anisimov held the puck, and Brodeur went down to the butterfly. Anisimov lifted the puck over a helpless Brodeur and into the net for his 12th goal of the season.

The Devils are finding success with long-ice passes. With the Rangers trailing, the Devils forwards are able to get past the pinching defenseman. As a result, they've had some great scoring chances in the third period.

Elias' goal at 3:53 of the period gave the Devils a lead, 2-1.

Clarkson collected a loose puck behind the net and skated it to the side boards. Elias, coming off the bench, found an open spot in the slot. He one-timed Clarkson's pass over the glove of Lundqvist for his 14th goal of the season.

Brodeur made a great save to keep this game tied at one. With the Rangers getting possession behind the net, the puck came to Ollie Jokinen in the slot. The center rifled a shot on goal, but Brodeur stopped the shot with his mask for the save.

Ryan Callahan is out for the rest of the game after re-aggravated a leg or hip injury.

Brandon Dubinsky's powerplay goal at 7:32 of the second period tied the game at one.

With Rolston in the box for interference, Dubinsky collected a loose puck behind the net. He skated to the side boards and passed the puck to Michael Del Zotto, who passed the puck right back on a give-and-go. Dubinsky skated into the right circle and shot the puck through a screen and into the net for his 17th goal of the season.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored at 5:21 of the first period to give the Devils a lead.

The Devils moved into the zone with a 3-on-2 rush, and Brian Rolston put a slap shot on goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The puck bounced off the heel of his glove, and Kovalchuk put the rebound through Lundqvist's pads for his 38th goal of the year.

Rolston's assist was his first point in seven games.

The Devils outshot the Rangers, 10-8, in the second period. They hold an advantage in total shots, 21-12.

The Devils were badly outplayed during the first part of the second period. But the team woke up and played a solid game during the latter half of the period. Also, Martin Brodeur played well in the second period. There was nothing he could do on the goal against, and he made several incredible saves during that period.

The Devils had two great opportunities to take the lead. Parise had a goal disallowed at 10:19 of the second period. Jamie Langenbrunner drove to the front of the net and tried to pass the puck to Parise on the crease. With the puck spinning behind Parise, he turned around to find the puck. It bounced off of his shoulder and found the back of the net. On a video review, the league ruled he intentionally put the puck in using his shoulder.

A few seconds before that chance, Patrik Elias had a great opportunity to give the Devils a lead. With Zach Parise in the box for holding the stick, Martin Skoula cleared the puck out of the zone. Elias got behind the defense and broke in alone on Lundqvist. Lundqvist tried a poke check and missed, but recovered and stopped Elias with his right pad for the save.

The Rangers have come out with a sense of urgency in the second period. After being outshot, 11-4, in the first period, the Rangers lead the shot total, 7-2.

The game has been chippy throughout, as Devils and Rangers game tend to be. Jody Shelly and Andrew Peters dropped the gloves at 9:01 of the first period. Shelly landed most of the punches, but Peters knocked him to the ice with a solid right to end the fight.

After a 3-for-6 night with the man advantage, the Devils failed to score in their first two powerplay attempts.

David Clarkson and Sean Avery exchanged words during the pre-game warmups, and looked like they may fight right off the opening faceoff. Clarkson grabbed Avery's jersey, but no one dropped the gloves. The players were eventually split.

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Here were the starting lineups:

Devils:

Dainius Zubrus - Rob Neidermayer - David Clarkson; Martin Skoula - Paul Martin; Martin Brodeur

Rangers:

Sean Avery - Chris Drury - Ryan Callahan; Marc Stall - Michael Rosival; Henrik Lundqvist

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The Devils enter tonight's game with a chance to clinch a playoff berth. If the Devils can earn a point in tonight's game and the Thrashers lose in regulation, the Devils will officially be in the playoffs.

The team needs at least one point to move ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for first in the Atlantic Division.

The Rangers enter the game five points behind the Boston Bruins for eighth in the Eastern Conference.

The Devils lead the season series with the Rangers, 3-2. This is the final game of the six-game series.

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Jay Pandolfo and Andrew Peters will suit up tonight, replacing Rod Pelley and Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond on the fourth line. Mark Fraser and Anssi Salmela remain healthy scratches on the defensive end.

Here are tonight's line combinations:

Zach Parise - Patrik Elias - Jamie Langenbrunner

Ilya Kovalchuk - Travis Zajac - Brian Rolston

Dainius Zubrus - Rob Niedermayer - David Clarkson

Andrew Peters - Dean McAmmond - Jay Pandolfo

Bryce Salvador - Andy Greene

Colin White - Mike Mottau

Martin Skoula - Paul Martin

Martin Brodeur

The Matchup: The New York Rangers (32-32-9) face off against the New Jersey Devils (43-25-4). This is the sixth and final meeting between the two teams this season. The Devils lead the season series, 3-2.

The Last Rangers Game: The Rangers shut out the New York Islanders, 5-0, last night in the Garden. Marian Gaborik netted two goals and one assist in the victory. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 shots for his third shutout of the season.

The Last Devils Game: The Devils powerplay scored three goals en-route to a victory, 6-3, over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Left-winger Ilya Kovalchuk tallied four points (1 G, 3 A), by far his most productive game as a Devil. Travis Zajac finished with two goals. The victory was the 40th for Martin Brodeur, marking the eighth time in his career he’s won 40 or more games in his career.

The Last Rangers – Devils Game: The Devils defeated the Rangers, 6-3, March 10 at The Rock. The Devils scored five goals and chased Lundqvist to the bench in the second period. The Devils received goals from five different players in the win.

Tonight’s Matchup: The Devils played one of their best games Tuesday night against Columbus. They actually played a 60-minute effort, and it showed in the final results. Yes, they had their off-moments, but the team finally put the effort on the table. With the effort came goals, and the offense really looked good. The powerplay finally clicked, and it seemed the Devils were in control for most of the game.

Coming into tonight, they have to bring that same intensity. The Rangers, who sit five points out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, will come into tonight’s game looking for another big victory. The Devils, who sit one point behind Pittsburgh for the Atlantic Division lead, and with a win tonight they inch closer to a playoff berth. If the Devils win and the Atlanta Thrashers loss, the Devils make the playoffs for the 13th consecutive years. The Devils can also clinch with an overtime or shootout loss. But the team should want to win outright to clinch their playoff spot.

I expect another solid, 60-minute game from the Devils. The intensity always rises when these two teams face off, and I expect the Devils to rise to that level. I like the way the powerplay looked, and the Devils should be able to net at least another powerplay goal tonight. Despite the Rangers win last night, they’re still a middle-of-the-pack team. These are two big points tonight. The Devils need to get those points to get back ahead of Pittsburgh.

There was an optional morning skate, so no lines to look at right now. Check back with the live blog for the updated lines for tonight's matchup.

Gametime is 7 p.m. on MSG Plus. Remember to visit Running With The Devils for a live game blog!

Photo: Henrik Lundqvist allowed five goals and was pulled in the second period on March 10. Photo Credit: Bill Kostroun/AP Photo

Coming into tonight's matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Devils were 0-for-17 on the powerplay in their last six games.

The streak troubled the team so much they dedicated significant practice time throughout the week to perfect the attack.

The practice paid off, and the Devils scored three powerplay goals en-route to a win, 6-3, over the Blue Jackets Tuesday at the Prudential Center.

Zach Parise's powerplay goal at 13:01 of the first period gave the Devils a 1-0 lead. With Rick Nash in the box for roughing, the Devils caused a turnover in the Blue Jackets zone. Patrik Elias checked defenseman Kris Russell along the side boards, and the puck slid away from both players. Jamie Langenbrunner took the puck in the right circle and fired a shot to the middle of goalie Steve Mason's pads, creating a rebound. Parise crashed the net and put the rebound home for his 34th goal of the season.

Paul Martin made it two powerplay goals at 1:14 of the second period. With Kristian Huselius in the box for hooking, Ilya Kovalchuk passed the puck to Elias at the side boards. Elias skated to the top of the left circle and fired a wrist shot through Langenbrunner's screen. The rebound caromed out to Martin, who pinched down to the right circle. The Devils' defenseman fired the puck into the open net for his second goal of the season.

Down 2-0, Columbus responded to cut the lead in half. After carrying the puck into the Devil's zone, Huselius left a drop pass for Antoine Vermette. The center fired a shot from the blue line that beat Brodeur over the glove for his 23rd goal of the season.

The Devils responded, scoring three straight goals in 6:35 to blow open the game.

Ilya Kovalchuk tallied the third Devils' powerplay goal at 12:32 of the second period. Mike Mottau started the play at the blue line by keeping the puck in the zone. He sent the puck to Parise in the left circle, who sent a cross-ice pass to Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk fired a shot to the short-side for his 37th goal of the season.

Travis Zajac's goal three minutes later put the Devils ahead, 4-1. Martin passed the puck to Kovalchuk, who let go a shot from the slot. The puck hit Zajac in the back and bounced into the open net for his 22nd goal of the season.

Zajac wasn't done, tallying his second goal of the period at 19:07 to extend the Devils lead, 5-1. Once again, it was Zajac deflecting a puck past Mason for a goal. Mottau fired a shot from the point that deflected off the back of Zajac's knee and into the net for his 23rd goal of the season.

The Devils finished the game 3-for-6 with the man advantage. They last scored three powerplay goals November 11, 2009 against Ottawa.

With the win, the Devils snapped a two-game winless streak. New Jersey overtook Pittsburgh for the Atlantic Division lead, and they now hold the second spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Devils will finish their three-game homestand Wednesday night against the New York Rangers.

Game Notes:

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur won for the 40th time this season, marking the eighth time the Devils goalie reached that mark...Kovalchuk finished with four points (1 G, 3 A), by far his most productive night as a Devil...Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond once again dropped the gloves, fighting Jared Boll in the second period. This fight didn't last 2:30 minutes like his Sunday bought, and there wasn't a clear-cut winner.

Martin Brodeur will go for his 40th win tomorrow night against Columbus, which will be his eighth season of 40+ wins. No other goalie in NHL history has three 40+ win seasons.

Brodeur had three-straight 40+ win seasons until last year’s torn bicep injury ended the streak.

The Devils’ goalie believes reaching 40 wins is a significant achievement each and every season.

“It’s something I look at every year,” Brodeur said of reaching 40 wins to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. “It’s a pretty big number for goalies to achieve. Not many goalies have been able to put a lot of them together and I’ve been fortunate playing here to do that. But, because I play so much, I expect myself to get close and try to be there every there. But you’ve got to go out and do it. You’ve got to stay healthy.”

Brodeur failed to get the win in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Blues.

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Ilya Kovalchuk was back in practice today after flying to Florida to be with his wife, Nicole, when she gave birth to the couple’s third child, Artem.

Artem weighed in at 7.8 pounds and was 20 inches. The Kovalchuk’s have a four-year old daughter, Karolina, and a one-year old son, Philip.

While Kovalchuk flew back to join the team, his family stayed in Florida. They have been living in their off-season home since the left-winger was traded to New Jersey. Kovalchuk plans to move the family up to his rented apartment in Hoboken, NJ.

Devils’ coach Jacques Lemaire believes the separation between Kovalchuk and his family could be weighing on the left-winger.

“We don’t know all that goes on in his mind,” Lemaire said to Gulliti.  ”He’s got the baby and moving and the wife and all of that. It’s part of worries.”

Kovalchuk has five goals and seven assists in 16 games for the Devils. Even with his struggles, Lemaire will stick with the left-winger on the powerplay.

“If his minutes would be too high, I would take some power play (time) off as long as we would score,” Lemaire said to Gulliti. “But if we’re not scoring, I want him on the power play first and then cut his minutes somewhere else.”

What a downer. Why is it this team jut can't seem to win the games I think they should win. I'm not saying that the Blues are a horrendous team but to lose 1-0 when you have so much fire power is absolutely frustrating.

I guess the one highlight of the evening for Devils fans was the Lebond v Jannsen fight. I do miss Jannsen at times but only at times!!

I made a tweet last night where I joked about the "Energy" not making the trip to Toronto with the Devils except that I wasn't really joking. For the most part, I thought the Devils looked lethargic against the Leafs. Occasionally a shift would pop onto the ice, create some chances and then before we knew, the Devils looked as it they were playing on mud and not ice. I can say the same about the Leafs but then the Leafs aren't a team that is teetering between 2 and 4th overall in the East so I expect that from them.

I thought Yann Denis played a much better game against the Leafs than he did agasint the Islanders last weekend. He didn't really stand a chance on the Kessel goal but then bounced back and made a decent number of stops. The Devils lost in a shootout but the only reason they got to a shootout was because of Denis. Now, the shootout. That was horrendous. Phil Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin, and John Mitchell all made great moves in the shootout and Denis looked very lost out there. Poor guy hasn't done many of them so I guess we can't be surprised.

Now, Paul Martin... Last night was his second game since his arm injury but COME ON!!! When you have an open net in the final minutes of a game and are on a power play...BURY THE FRICKEN PUCK!! I know, I can't put the blame entirely on him. I mean if the Devils could figure out how to perform on the PP, this little sequence might not have even mattered. Power Play is still piss poor.

The bottom line for me is that they let a last placed team dictate the flow of the game instead of 2nd/4th place team dictating it. I know it was a road game and you tend to side on the cautious but this seems to be a trend with the lesser teams this season. If you think about the game, there isn't one Devil that stuck out. It was certinaly Elias the night before but tonight, no one took control except Maybe Phil Kessel and that's the wrong team.

I was glad to see that Lemaire recognized how crappy the Power Play is but I really need him to translate those words into action. This team should have a lethal PP unit and they don't. It would certainly go a long way if they could fix that aspect of their game.

In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights from last night courtesy of the TSN.