Carter’s breakthrough gives Ducks extra fuel

NEWARK, N.J. -- Ryan Carter sat nervously in the Ducks’ penalty box late in the third period as he watched his only mistake potentially ruin all that he had accomplished in the game.

A delay-of-game penalty with 43 seconds left in regulation allowed the New Jersey Devils to pull the goalie and gain a two-man advantage with a chance to send the game into overtime.

“I sweated a little more in the last 43 seconds in the penalty box than I think I did in the whole game,” Carter said.

Carter could rest easy afterward as the Ducks scratched out a 2-1 victory Friday night at the Prudential Center for their third consecutive victory with two more stops left on their eight-game trip.

The storyline heading into the game was star defenseman Scott Niedermayer’s first road game against the Devils, for whom he played 13 seasons, helping New Jersey win three Stanley Cups.

But Carter upstaged him by scoring his first two NHL goals in the first period for the Ducks’ only offense, which didn’t bother Niedermayer at all.

“It’s a big couple of goals by a guy you don’t expect a lot from,” said Niedermayer, who assisted on the first goal. “He’s been playing hard for us, and it’s nice to see him get rewarded.”

Since their season-high six-game losing streak, the Ducks (30-22-7) have turned their fortunes around by going deep into their lineup to get major contributions.

On Friday, it was Jonas Hiller playing his best game with a 34-save effort to outduel New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur and allow Ducks regular starter Jean-Sebastien Giguere a well-earned night off. Jay Pandolfo got the Devils’ only goal well into the second period.

“Well, it was nice to win against him,” Hiller said of Brodeur. “It’s something special for sure. You don’t think about those things during the game. You just try to stop the puck.

“It’s a great feeling to win against a guy who, probably years ago, I didn’t imagine I’d play against him.”

Playing in place of injured center Samuel Pahlsson on the checking line, Carter got his first goal in his 28th career game when he picked up a pass from Francois Beauchemin at center ice and used former Duck Vitaly Vishnevski as a screen to put a shot past Brodeur.

Carter’s second goal turned a lot of heads, including two Devils defensemen.

A clearing attempt by Pandolfo hit the linesman along the boards in neutral ice and the Ducks’ Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry swiped at the puck as they headed to the bench.

Carter picked up the puck in stride, sped around the Devils’ Johnny Oduya and made an inside move on Paul Martin to get off a shot that went between Brodeur’s pads.

“Big-time play,” said Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle, who became the Ducks’ all-time leader in coaching wins with a record of 121-69-33 in his three seasons, passing Ron Wilson, who was 120-145-31 in four seasons. “He beat two defensemen and he found a way to get it through Brodeur on the way across.”

Said Carter: “I looked up and saw [Martin]. He was looking right at my chest and he probably just wanted to put me into the fifth row. I just kind of put the puck at my feet and made sure he didn’t hit me. That was his goal and he missed it. It left me alone right in the slot.”

Pahlsson was held out Friday and is expected to return Sunday against Detroit after missing 21 consecutive games because of abdominal inflammation. Carter’s play has eased the loss.

“He’s a kid that probably surpassed everybody’s expectations from the standpoint of where he’s at,” Carlyle said. “We’re very, very pleased with his progression.”

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eric.stephens@latimes.com