Devils beat Rangers 3-2 in OT, head to Finals.

NEWARK – As the New Jersey Devils were still celebrating their 3-2 series-clinching overtime win against the New York Rangers, New Jersey-bred Bruce Springsteen's songGlory Days was blaring over the Prudential Center's sound system.
"Glory days," the Boss was singing. "Yeah, goin' back … Glory days."
The Devils do indeed seem to be reliving their glory days. Rookie Adam Henrique's goal 1:03 into overtime during a goalmouth scramble has vaulted the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2003. They now have a date with the Los Angeles Kings in the best-of-seven league championship series that starts Wednesday in Newark (8 p.m. ET, NBC).

• RESULTS: Devils 3, Rangers 2

• PHOTOS: Top images from the playoffs

"It feels surreal," said New Jersey defenseman Bryce Salvador.

Just as in 2003, goalie Martin Brodeur is the heart of the team. Now 40, Brodeur made 33 saves to finish off the Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference final. He will be pursuing his fourth Stanley Cup championship.

"Everybody said he's old, but he shows so much patience in the game," Devils winger Iyla Kovalchuk said. "He played some great goal all playoffs long. I don't think he played one bad game."

Kovalchuk had a goal and picked up an assist on the winning goal. He said he took "two or three" whacks at the puck before it moved across the crease to Henrique, who jammed it home for his third goal of the playoffs.

"This kid's just the right place, right time, all the time." Devils coach Peter DeBoer said. "The two biggest goals of the playoffs come off his stick, and that's not accidental."

Henrique also scored the overtime clincher in Game 7 against the Florida Panthers in the first round.

"(Henrik Lundqvist) is a good goalie and he played great all series long," Kovalchuk said. "He kept them in the game. We had a lot of great chances tonight, but he never gave up."

In an odd twist, the No. 6 seeded Devils now get home ice in the Finals, even though they did not have it in their three previous series. The Kings were the No. 8 seed in the West.

When the Devils made it through the second round, Kovalchuk, who played most of his career with the Atlanta Thrashers, said it felt strange to be playing an NHL game this late in May. He has spent most of his career playing in the world championships in the spring.

"This year, Russia won without us," Kovalchuk said. "Now they are on vacation and it's going to take us another two weeks."

The Kings, who dominated the Western Conference playoffs with a 12-2 record, are making their first Finals appearance since 1993 and have never won an NHL championship.

The Rangers erased a 2-0 lead to tie the game in the second period. For the second game in a row, Rangers captain Ryan Callahan was credited with a goal that struck his foot and ricocheted into the net.

In Game 5, a centering feed struck his foot as he was driving to the net. In Game 6, defenseman Dan Girardi's shot from the point hit his skate 15 feet from the crease and the puck changed direction. Brodeur was unable to flag it down before it squeezed between him and the goal post to tie the game 2-2 at 13:41 of the second period.

The Devils had claimed a 2-0 first period on goals by fourth- liner Ryan Carter and first-liner Ilya Kovalchuk. Carter scored on a rebound after Lundqvist stopped Stephen Gionta at 10:05 of the period.

"(Gionta) took it to the net and I just came in and cleaned up the mess," Carter said.

Then Kovalchuk converted a beautiful feed by Dainius Zubrus at 13:56 to give New Jersey a two-goal advantage.

The Rangers' comeback started in the second period when Ruslan Fedotenko scored his second goal of the postseason at 9:47.

"What our group has developed in their identity, their mindset, I think showed tonight," Rangers coach John Tortorella said of tying the game. "Again, we don't get it done, but I just like the way they handle themselves."