Devils 3

Flyers 2

The Third Period Hero struck again.

Brian Gionta already is adding to the reputation he built by setting the Devils’ goal-scoring record with 48 last season. For the second straight game, Gionta provided the Devils’ third-period scoring, this time snapping a tie to give his team a 3-2 victory over the Flyers at the Meadowlands last night.

He’s noticed his third-period success.

“That’s what it seems like. I guess I have to come out better in the first two periods,” Gionta said with a chuckle after scoring his fourth in two games, all in third periods.

Gionta scored a natural hat trick in Thursday’s third period to bring the Devils back from a three-goal deficit in a 7-6 shootout victory over the Leafs. Last night, he tipped down Brian Rafalski’s point shot to give the Devils a 2-0 home start.

Gionta didn’t have the benefit of an exhibition game, remaining unsigned through training camp until Lou Lamoriello solved his salary-cap headaches and signed the wing for three years at $4 million per.

“I don’t think it’s still all there,” Gionta said of his timing and game-readiness. “There are still parts of my game I want to work on.”

He has the tip down pat, and it gave the Devils their fifth straight victory over the Flyers at the Meadowlands, having swept four in New Jersey last season.

Zach Parise and Mike Knuble traded power-play goals in the first. Parise took Scott Gomez’s break-in feed on right wing and his shot glanced off the stick of Joni Pitkanen and past Antero Niittymaki’s short side at 9:08. Knuble answered from the left side of the net, after Peter Forsberg swept behind the cage, luring Martin Brodeur off that left post, then dropping the puck back. Knuble’s shot went of Paul Martin and Brodeur’s back at 11:14.

The Devils already were having trouble with Geoff Sanderson’s left-wing speed when he burned them for Knuble’s second of the game 1:23 into the second. Sanderson sped around Martin and fed Knuble, racing to the crease ahead of Colin White for the dunk behind Brodeur.

Jamie Langenbrunner sent the game into the third tied 2-2 by steering Rafalski’s power-play point shot past Niittymaki at 18:19.

Gionta put the Devils in front at 3:33 of the third, tipping down Rafalski’s third assist of the night, breaking his stick in the process.

“It just splintered the blade,” Gionta said. “It hit right at the angle, where the blade meets the shaft.”

It was one broken stick worth its cost to the Devils.

*

Mike Rupp replaced Dan LaCouture in the Devils’ lineup. . . . It took eight days for the Devils – questioned repeatedly – to admit that defenseman David Hale underwent retinal surgery Oct. 5, from being struck by a puck in practice. The Devils say he’ll be out another 2-3 weeks. Expect longer.