Devils on brink of play-off exit

Markov and McKay get to grips with each other

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The defending Stanley Cup champions the New Jersey Devils are on the brink of elimination after losing 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Devils are now 3-2 behind in the best-of-seven NHL Eastern Conference semi-final series.

The Leafs' victory came courtesy of a controversial Tomas Kaberle goal 29.4 seconds from time.

Kaberle's first goal of the play-offs came seconds after Shayne Corson knocked over Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur.

Referee Bill McCreary ruled that Devils defender Colin White pushed Corson into Brodeur.

Controversy

Earlier in the game, McCreary disallowed a goal by Devils forward Patrik Elias, ruling that Jason Arnott interfered with goal-tender Curtis Jospeh, who had 24 saves.

The late controversy seemed fitting, considering how Game Four ended. Maple Leafs forward Tie Domi hit Scott Niedermayer with an elbow late in Toronto's 3-1 win on Thursday night.

Niedermayer sustained a concussion and missed Game Five. Domi was suspended by the NHL for the rest of the play-offs.

Bryan McCabe and Cory Cross also scored for Toronto, with Petr Sykora and Arnott on target for New Jersey.

The Devils' desire to avenge Niedermayer's injury affected their play, a point not lost on coach Larry Robinson.

He said: "Sometimes you don't have to go and just run a guy. There was only 29 seconds left, the most important thing is to get the puck."

Sabres success

In the other Western Conference semi-final, the Buffalo Sabres recorded their third straight win over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 3-2 series lead.

Stu Barnes struck the winning goal 8.34 minutes into sudden-death overtime, as the Sabres came from 2-0 down to record the first home win of the series.

The fighting Jagr and Brown both scored

The former Penguins player crashed in a shot off the inside post to beat Johan Hedberg.

He said: "I tried to get a lot of wood on it and put it under the crossbar because the book on Hedberg is to go high. It was past him before he could square up."

Penguins captain Jaromir Jagr opened the scoring late in the first period with Alexei Morozov adding a second early in the second.

Chris Gratton, with his team-leading sixth of the play-offs but first of this series, cut the lead to 2-1 with a power-play goal midway through the second.

Curtis Brown tied the game with a short-handed goal in the third period, as the Penguins paid the price for using two forwards on the point in power-plays.

Buffalo can advance to the conference finals for the second time in three years with a victory on Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

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Eastern Conference semi-finals

Toronto 3-2 New Jersey (Toronto lead best- of-seven series 3-2)
Buffalo 3-2 Pittsburgh (Buffalo lead series 3-2)