Devils stay unbeaten with 6-3 win over Maple Leafs
TORONTO -- Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha each scored two goals, Brian Gibbons scored while killing off a two-man disadvantage, and the New Jersey Devils defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Wednesday night in a battle of previously unbeaten teams.
Goaltender Cory Schneider made 47 saves for the Devils (3-0-0).
Blake Coleman added a goal for the Devils, and Will Butcher and Adam Henrique had two assists apiece.
James van Riemsdyk, Dominic Moore and Auston Matthews scored for Toronto (3-1-0).
Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 25 shots.
The Maple Leafs took the lead at 8:33 of the first period when van Riemsdyk scored his third goal of the season from the side of the net during a power play.
The Devils countered 34 seconds later on Wood's deflection of Steven Santini's shot from above the right circle.
Wood scored his second goal of the season 1:38 later after splitting the defense.
Toronto tied the score at 13:33 of the first period on the second goal of the season by Moore on a deflection of Nikita Zaitsev's shot.
Zacha scored from the slot on a power play at 9:58 of the second period to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead. Jesper Bratt made the pass from the end boards. The assist gave him six points in his first three NHL games, including three goals.
Gibbons gave the Devils a 4-2 lead while the Maple Leafs had a five-on-three power play with his second goal of the season. The Devils killed off both penalties.
Coleman scored his first goal of the season, unassisted, at 3:35 of the third period.
Matthews scored his third goal of the season when the Maple Leafs again had a two-man advantage at 13:34 of the third.
Zacha scored his second of the season at 17:21 of the third period.
NOTES: New Jersey RW Kyle Palmieri (lower-body injury) returned to the lineup. He was injured Saturday and did not play Monday. ... Devils RW Drew Stafford (lower-body injury) missed his second consecutive game after being injured Saturday. ... Toronto D Connor Carrick (upper-body injury) missed his second game in a row. ... Maple Leafs C Dominic Moore returned to the lineup with C Eric Fehr scratched for the game. ... The Devils play host to the Washington Capitals on Friday. The Maple Leafs visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.