Devils, Panthers headed for Game 7 after Zajac's OT goal

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Travis Zajac scored at 5:39 of overtime and the New Jersey Devils avoided elimination and sent yet another Eastern Conference first-round series to a seventh game with a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Steve Bernier and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored and Martin Brodeur made 14 saves for New Jersey, which squandered a two-goal lead and had fans dreading another first-round playoff exit until Zajac scored from the right hand circle.

Game 7 will be played in Sunrise, Fla., on Thursday.

Two other series in the conference are also headed to Game 7s. Washington will be at second-seeded Boston tonight (4:30 p.m., NBCSP) and Ottawa will be at the top-seeded New York Rangers on Thursday.