NEW YORK, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Eric Lindros scored against his nemesis and Theo Fleury's goal 80 seconds into overtime Wednesday night gave the New York Rangers a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Lindros was playing against the Devils for the first time since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 26, 2000, when he was flattened by defenseman Scott Stevens while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lindros suffered another in a series of concussions and, coupled with an ugly holdout, had him sit out the entire 2000-01 season. He was traded to the Rangers this summer.
Stevens had little impact in this one. His giveaway even set up New York's first goal.
Fleury picked up a rebound in front of the net and put it around goaltender Martin Brodeur's right pad for New York's third power-play goal of the game.
Mike Richter made a season-high 46 saves and improved to 2-1-1 for the Rangers, who beat the Devils in Madison Square Garden for the first time since Jan. 12, 1997.
New Jersey dropped to 0-3
1 for its worst start since 1978, when it opened 0-4 as the Colorado Rockies.
The Rangers went on their sixth power play of the game less than a minute into overtime when New Jersey's Petr Sykora hooked Petr Nedved from behind and pulled him to the ground.
The Rangers took a 3-1 lead on two power-play goals after Scott Gomez went off for slashing at 18:21 of the second period and was slapped with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on his way to the box.
Lindros took a pass from Fleury at the right side boards and skated in unchallenged on Martin Brodeur before putting a wrist shot just inside the top near corner 18 seconds into the man advantage.
Nedved scored with eight seconds remaining in the period by picking up his own rebound in front of the net and whacking it past Brodeur, making it 3-1.
Devils defenseman Brian Rafalski scored two goals in just over two minutes to tie the game midway through the third period. His first came by saving a misdirected pass at the blue line in the high slot and sending a slap shot through traffic and past Richter. His second came on a similar play and knotted the score.
New Jersey and New York traded goals in the first period. Bobby Holik got the Devils on the board midway through the session when he picked up his own rebound off a breakaway. Defenseman Brian Leetch scored when he picked up Stevens' errant clearing pass and fired it back at the net.
