Kulikov scores in OT to lift Panthers over Devils

SUNRISE, Fla. – Dmitry Kulikov fired a high wrist shot past Martin Brodeur 3:36 into overtime and the Florida Panthers won their third straight with a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.

Dennis Wideman and Evgeny Dadonov scored power-play goals for Florida, which entered with the league's worst (10.3 percent) power-play unit. Scott Clemmensen made his second straight start and stopped 33 of 35 shots.

Nick Palmieri and David Clarkson scored for New Jersey. Brodeur had 19 saves as the Devils failed in their attempt to win a third straight game for the first time since a five-game winning streak from Dec. 12-21, 2009.

The Panthers have won the first three games of a six-game homestand.

Kulikov took a pass from Stephen Weiss, skated in close, and then fired the puck past Brodeur for his fourth goal of the season.

Clarkson tied the score at 2 when he jammed the puck past Clemmensen at 8:47 of the third period. Clemmensen fired the puck around the boards behind the net. New Jersey's Tim Sestito stopped the puck in the left corner and it bounced to Clarkson. The goalie extended his leg to stop Clarkson's first attempt but failed to stop the right wing's second try.

Wideman's power-play goal gave Florida a 2-1 lead 2:15 into the second period.

With Brian Rolston off for slashing, Mike Santorelli had the puck against the left board with the Devils overloaded to his side. He fired a cross-ice pass to Wideman, who wristed a shot past Brodeur for his fifth goal.

The score was tied at 1 after the first period.

Palmieri put home the rebound of Travis Zajac's shot to give New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 5:01.

Zajac won a left-circle faceoff and sent the puck back to Anssi Salmela. Zajac skated across the high crease and took a pass from Zajac before firing a shot at Clemmensen. Palmieri fought off Jason Garrison to put in the rebound for his second goal.

Dadonov evened the score on a power play at 15:07, when he wristed a shot to Brodeur's high stick side.

Wideman skated the puck into the Devils zone before passing to Weiss down the right side. Weiss made a drop-back pass to Dadonov, who skated around Sestito before putting it past Brodeur for his fourth goal. Only 3 seconds remained on Henrik Tallinder's tripping penalty.

Notes: Clemmensen has started three of four games in place of Tomas Vokoun. ... Santorelli has a five-game points streak. ... It was the first of four meetings between the teams.