NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Defenseman Tim Gleason scored his first NHL playoff goal on a slap shot at 2:40 of overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 Friday night, tying their first round playoff series at a game apiece.

Gleason’s shot from the right point appeared to hit the skate of Devils defenseman Niclas Havelid and carom past defenseless goalie Martin Brodeur.

Eric Staal, who provided a screen in front of Brodeur, scored the other goal for the Hurricanes. Carolina, which lost the series opener 4-1 on Wednesday, seemed to find its game in the second period on Friday.

Zach Parise tallied for the Devils, who lost captain Jamie Langenbrunner to a lower body injury in the second period.

Carolina nearly won the game less than a minute earlier on a similar play. Defenseman Joni Pitkanen took a shot from the left circle that appeared to hit a Devils defenseman and Rod Brind’Amour before clanging off the goal post.

Brodeur, who finished with 30 saves, wasn’t so lucky the second time as Carolina beat New Jersey for the fifth time in five postseason overtime games. Carolina’s Cam Ward made 33 saves for the win.

The Hurricanes killed 5 of 6 Devils power plays, including a couple which resulted after foolish penalties.

New Jersey had a great chance to take the lead early in the third period, but 45-goal scorer Zach Parise banged a shot off the left post on a 2-on-1 break.

Ward was also good in the third period, making outstanding glove saves on Bryce Salvador with 10:55 left in regulation and another against Travis Zajac with 3:07 to go.

Brodeur’s best stop was a save on Staal after a length-of-the-ice rush with 4:50 to go in the third period.

Although outplayed in the opening period, the Hurricanes tied it at 1-all on a late power-play goal by Staal. Ray Whitney took a pass from Sergei Samsonov and missed the net with his shot from straight on. However, the puck hit off the end boards and came right back out in front, catching Brodeur off guard and giving Staal an open net to score with 35 seconds left in the period.

New Jersey had taken the lead on its second power play. Parise netted his second goal of the series, deflecting a point shot by defenseman Paul Martin past Ward.

The goal came 26 seconds after Zajac had a goal nullified by referee Mike Hasenfratz for hitting a rebound into the net with a high stick.

Tuomo Ruutu of Carolina banged a shot off the post with 5:49 left in the period.

Notes: In their 18 previous playoff series, the Devils are 14-4 after winning the first game. They are 6-5 in series after splitting the first two at home. … New Jersey went with the same lineup as Game 1. Carolina made two switches, playing D Frantisek Kaberle and LW Ryan Bayda in place of D Tim Conboy and D Dennis Seidenberg. … Carolina earned its first postseason victory since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.

AP-ES-04-17-09 2242EDT