Devils 4, Sabres 1
Ilya Kovalchuk scored a hat trick and added an assist and Martin Brodeur made 29 saves as the New Jersey Devils snapped a two-game skid with a 4-1 victory over the host Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
Kovalchuk secured the win with his second goal and 24th of the season at 9:47 of the final frame when rookie Adam Henrique set him up for a tip-in on a 3-on-2 rush. Kovalchuk added an empty-netter.
Petr Sykora gave the Devils a 2-1 lead on the power play 1:44 into the third after Jason Pominville pulled the Sabres into a 1-1 tie at 17:19 of the middle frame with his 21st of the season.
Kovalchuk worked a perfect give and go with Patrik Elias for his seventh power-play goal of the season at 19:24 of the first period.