If you're looking for some technical explanation for why the Devils fourth line has been, throughout this first-round playoff series, the most consistent on the team, you're about to be disappointed.

Because here's the explanation from Steve Bernier on his first-period goal — one that, at the time, tied him with stars Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk for three postseason points — in the Devils 3-2 overtime victory last night:

“Our line, we just try to crash the net,” Bernier said. “There was a rebound right there, so I shot the puck and it went in. That’s what we should do every shift.”

Shoot the puck, and sometimes, it goes in. In truth, the Devils would have been satisfied in this series with their fourth line — a patchwork unit with Bernier, Stephen Gionta and center Ryan Carter — grinding out a few shifts each game and holding their own.

Instead, they’ve contributed some key goals. It was Bernier who also blasted a hard shot past Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen in Game 4 to give the Devils a 2-0 lead en route to a victory.

Tuesday night, with the Devils failing to score on their best early chances, Bernier collected the puck along the boards and, from a sharp angle, turned and fired on Clemmensen.

What happened next was, well, even he’s not sure.

“I was just shooting,” he said. “I didn’t even look at the goalie. I just saw the puck in. Maybe I caught him a little off guard but I don’t even know where the puck went. I’m going to take it, for sure.”

The performance earned this praise from head coach Pete DeBoer: “I just think he’s a playoff player.” The Devils, at their best in the postseason over the years, have always benefited from key contributions from unheralded grinders.

Bernier, who at 27 is already on his fifth NHL team, fits the bill. He played for the Panthers last season, but they let him become an unrestricted free agent.

The Devils invited him to training camp and offered him a contract with their AHL affiliate in Albany.

He joined the NHL team in January, scoring just once in 32 games. That he already has two goals in six postseason games was something no one could have seen coming.

"We don't want to be a line that just goes on the ice and does nothing," he said.

"Right now, we're scoring, but every time we have a chance we want to spend as much time as possible in the offensive zone. It's going to be very important for our line to do the same thing in Game 7.

“I’m going to take every chance I’ve got. If I’m a goal-scorer, great, but right now I just don’t want to get scored on.”

Steve Politi: spoliti@starledger.com; twitter.com/StevePoliti