Adam Henrique's OT Winner Sends Devils To Round 2 Meeting With Flyers

Panthers Vs. Devils Game 7: Florida Eyes Bright Future While New Jersey Advances

The Devils will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals thanks to Adam Henrique's double-OT goal in Game 7, but Panthers fans should look at this as a start, not an ending.

Panthers Vs. Devils, Game 7 Final Score: Adam Henrique's OT Goal Sends New Jersey To Round 2

Adam Henrique opened the scoring. Adam Henrique closed the scoring and he closed the door on the Florida Panthers' season. At the 3:47 mark of the second overtime period, the rookie picked up a favorable bounce near the hash mark and ripped a shot through Jose Theodore's five-hole to give the New Jersey Devils the 3-2 Game 7 victory.

It was an unfortunate end for the Panthers, who certainly left nothing in the tank after tying the game with less than four minutes left in regulation. They pressed hard in the 23 minutes of overtime hockey, but playoff OT always comes down to a single bounce or a single mistake, and the Devils were the ones who picked up the fortuitous bounce.

New Jersey will travel to Philadelphia to take on the archrival Flyers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

We have full coverage of Game 7 between the Panthers and Devils in our StoryStream. For more on the Devils, check in with In Lou We Trust, and for more on the Panthers, check in with Litter Box Cats.

Panthers Vs. Devils, Game 7 Overtime Score: Teams Trade Chances In Wild First Overtime Period

It's hard to write the narrative of the first overtime period between the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers in Game 7. Like, really difficult. Both teams had chances, both teams made mistakes. Both teams had goaltenders make big saves, both teams had goaltenders scare the living hell out of their fans.

Florida finished the period with 12 shots on Martin Brodeur, who at times looks as old as he is and at times looks like the Hall of Famer he will soon be. New Jersey finished the period with nine shots on goal, adding to their game total of 35.

Numbers aren't going to explain that OT, though. If we want to explain it in one quick moving Internet image, this would probably be a good candidate:

AHH. OVERTIME PLAYOFF HOCKEY. Plays like that have happened at both ends on more than one occasion in overtime, and it'll probably continue to be hectic in the second overtime period. Fans of the Devils and Panthers probably want this over as soon as possible. Fans of the other 28 teams? Well, it's only midnight on the East Coast!

We have full coverage of Game 7 between the Panthers and Devils in our StoryStream. For more on the Devils, check in with In Lou We Trust, and for more on the Panthers, check in with Litter Box Cats.

PHOTO: Which Logo Is Stitched Into John Madden's Face?

GIF: Kris Versteeg Gives New Jersey Overtime Power Play After Nasty Slash

Panthers Vs. Devils, Game 7 Score: Florida Ties It, Game Heads To Overtime

For now, Marcel Goc is the hero. He's completed the Florida Panthers' two-goal comeback in the third period of Game 7 at Bank Atlantic Center on Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils, and as a result, we're headed to a decisive overtime in the final game of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal round.

Goc came in along the goal line and beat Bryce Salvador to a juicy Martin Brodeur rebound. His shot from a relatively tough angle found its way into the open net, and it tied the game at two goals apiece. The Panthers were on the power play thanks to a delay of game penalty called against Marek Zidlicky, who played the puck over the glass as Florida was making a charge late in the period. Stupid rule, perhaps, but still the rule, and it bit the Devils here.

After the goal, Florida kept pressing and almost found a way to break the tie. Brodeur held strong along the goal line, though, and the puck stayed out of the net.

Not his prettiest work, but it got the job done nonetheless. To overtime we go.

We have full coverage of Game 7 between the Panthers and Devils in our StoryStream. For more on the Devils, check in with In Lou We Trust, and for more on the Panthers, check in with Litter Box Cats.

Panthers Vs. Devils, Game 7 Score: Florida Mounting Charge In Latter Stages Of Third Period

If there's been a calm, relaxed, penalty-free series in this quarterfinal round of the NHL playoffs, it's come in the Eastern Conference matchup between the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils. But as is usually atypical in a Game 7, the whistles have come out in the decisive game, and that may wind up having an impact on which team advances to the second round.

10 penalties have been called against the two teams in total, and on a 4-on-3 power play at the 5:02 mark of the third period, Stephen Weiss was able to put a puck behind Martin Brodeur to cut the New Jersey lead to 2-1, and suddenly the Cats have life.

Florida fell behind early in more ways than one. Adam Henrique scored just 1:29 into the game, and on the shift immediately following the goal, John Madden left the game after a nasty collision with teammate Tomas Kopecky. But Madden returned for the second period, and after Stephen Gionta scored midway through the second period to give New Jersey a 2-0 lead, it seemed as though the Panthers were dead.

They are not. There's still playoff life in Florida as the third period clock winds down. Game 7.

We have full coverage of Game 7 between the Panthers and Devils in our StoryStream. For more on the Devils, check in with In Lou We Trust, and for more on the Panthers, check in with Litter Box Cats.

PHOTO: John Madden's Face Has Looked Better

Panthers Vs. Devils, Game 7: Florida Gives Up Early Goal, Loses John Madden After Collision

Well, thats not exactly the start the Florida Panthers had in mind.

Just 1:29 into the first period, Jose Theodore was screened and a shot deflected through traffic and back behind the Florida netminder. After a brief discussion, the officials ruled that the goal was not kicked in, and credit was awarded to Adam Henrique, giving the New Jersey Devils a 1-0 lead.

Then, just under a minute later, former Devil John Madden collided with current teammate Tomas Kopecky at center ice. It looked as though the players' heads collided at full speed, and Madden certainly got the worst of it. Pieces of his helmet went flying and Madden fell immediately to ice.

The play was allowed to continue for several seconds until the officials noticed that Madden was bleeding and having trouble making his way to the bench. He attempted to crawl back, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, and as of the 5:00 mark of the period he has yet to return. Madden is an important center for Kevin Dineen's club. It's about the worst possible start to Game 7 that Florida could have imagined.

We have full coverage of Game 7 between the Panthers and Devils in our StoryStream. For more on the Devils, check in with In Lou We Trust, and for more on the Panthers, check in with Litter Box Cats.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Panthers Vs. Devils Game 7: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

A game-winner in Game 6 put the Panthers and Devils on course for tonight's decisive Game 7 to see if the Panthers will win their first playoff series in over 15 years.