Devils 5, Jets 1
Ilya Kovalchuk scored twice as the New Jersey Devils beat Winnipeg for the second time in less than a week, cruising past the visiting Jets 5-1 on Tuesday night.
Kovalchuk's fifth and sixth goals in the past six games paced an impressive offensive attack by the Devils, who defeated the Jets 2-1 on Saturday. New Jersey has won five of six, allowing two goals or fewer in each of those victories.
Winnipeg has lost six of eight.
Kovalchuk put the Devils on the board with 1:01 remaining in the first period, collecting a Zach Parise feed before speeding in on a shorthanded breakaway and beating Jets netminder Chris Mason.
It was the 12th shorthanded goal for New Jersey this season, far and away the most in the league.
Petr Sykora extended the advantage 1:32 into the second frame, blasting a shot just inside the Winnipeg blue line that slid low past a screened Mason. David Clarkson made it 3-0 just 3:16 later, snapping a shot from the right circle that eluded Mason on the short side.
Kovalchuk followed with his second of the game and team-high 19th of the campaign, whistling a high shot past Mason just as Winnipeg's Evander Kane was leaving the penalty box with the Jets facing a two-man disadvantage.
That goal spelled the end of the night for Mason, who was replaced by Ondrej Pavelec.
Tobias Enstrom and Patrik Elias traded goals 3:13 apart midway through the third period.