Devils 4, Sabres 1
Patrik Elias collected a goal and two assists to become the 82nd player to reach the 1,000-point plateau as host New Jersey posted back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly two months.
Mike Cammalleri and Travis Zajac each scored a goal and set up another while Jordin Tootoo also tallied for the Devils, who improved to 4-0-2 in their last six home games versus Buffalo. Cory Schneider finished with 20 saves and picked up an assist on Tootoo's goal for his first point with New Jersey.
Mikhail Grigorenko converted a power-play opportunity for his first goal of the season for the Sabres, who matched a season high with their fifth straight loss and ninth in 10 games (1-8-1). Jhonas Enroth turned aside 24 shots in the setback.
Elias deflected Cammalleri's shot from the point 3:44 into the contest for his 399th career goal and Tootoo's sharp wrist shot from above the left faceoff circle beat Enroth under the crossbar just over six minutes later to double the advantage. Zajac tucked the puck between the pads of the netminder on a short-handed breakaway with 5:21 remaining in the first period to give the Devils a 3-0 lead.
Chris Stewart alertly spotted Grigorenko for a one-timer from the slot 6:40 into the second to get Buffalo on the scoreboard. Cammalleri scored into the empty net at 16:56 of the third, with Elias picking up his 601st assist to reach the 1,000-point milestone as New Jersey recorded consecutive wins for the first time since Nov. 11-14.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Elias became the 80th player in NHL history to reach 600 assists on Zajac's short-handed goal, which was the fourth of his career and second this season for New Jersey. C Jacob Josefson also had a short-handed tally against Pittsburgh on Oct. 28. ... Buffalo D Tyler Myers logged 22:09 of ice time in his return from a seven-game absence due to a lower-body injury. ... Sabres RW Drew Stafford returned to Buffalo prior to the game while awaiting the birth of his first child.