Devils top Blackhawks for fourth straight win
NEWARK, N.J. -- Cory Schneider made 39 saves, and Brian Boyle sparked a three-goal first period as the New Jersey Devils extended their winning streak to four games with 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday night.
Schneider made 21 saves in the second period and withstood a flurry in the opening half of the period. He made five stops on Patrick Kane before allowing the Chicago right winger's 300th career goal late in the second.
The Devils remained unbeaten on a season-high six-game homestand by scoring three times in the first 13:22 to chase Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford for the second time this season.
Kyle Palmieri scored a power-play goal and Pavel Zacha capped the three-goal outburst as the Devils also improved to 5-0-1 in their last six games and won their fifth straight home game.
Taylor Hall added insurance early in the third period by scoring on a breakaway.
Crawford, who gave up six goals in Chicago's 7-5 home loss to the Devils last month, was lifted after allowing three goals on seven shots. Anton Forsberg made 21 saves in relief of Crawford.
The Devils opened the scoring 2:48 in by cashing in on two Chicago turnovers. First Chicago defenseman Jan Rutta turned it over behind the net and then as the Blackhawks attempted to clear the defensive zone, Richard Panik coughed it up to Boyle.
Using Blake Coleman as a screen, Boyle simply floated a wrist shot from the left point over Crawford's stick.
Palmieri scored his first goal since returning from a foot injury on Monday seven seconds into a power play with 9:20 remaining. After Travis Zajac won a faceoff, Hall found Palmieri in front of the net, and he banked a wrist shot off a defender and by Crawford.
New Jersey made it 3-0 when Zacha one-timed a pass from the low slot into the vacated net for his first goal in 25 games with 6:38 remaining. Crawford committed to stopping Stefan Noesen, who skated near the red line before passing to a wide-open Zacha.
Kane reached his milestone with 2:42 left in the second by putting a long wrist shot from above the right circle under Schneider's glove.
Hall capped the scoring 2:02 into the third.
NOTES: RW Patrick Kane became the fifth Blackhawks player to get 300 goals with the team. He joined Bobby Hull (604), Stan Mikita (541), Steve Larmer (406) and Denis Savard (377). ... Chicago LW Patrick Sharp returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Thursday's 4-0 loss at Dallas. Sharp has three goals in 33 games this season but one in his last 27 contests. ... New Jersey rookie LW Jesper Bratt returned after missing Thursday's win over the New York Rangers with a foot injury. He was stopped by G Anton Forsberg on a penalty shot with 7:24 left in the third period.