Blackhawks 3, Devils 1
Marian Hossa scored for the seventh time on his four-game goal streak and set up captain Jonathan Toews' go-ahead tally early in the third period as host Chicago edged New Jersey.
Kris Versteeg added an empty-net goal and Corey Crawford finished with 25 saves for the Blackhawks, who improved to 1-0-2 on their season-high eight-game homestand. Defenseman Brent Seabrook notched a pair of assists as Chicago completed a sweep of its two-game season series versus the Devils.
Defenseman Peter Harrold scored his second goal of the season and first in 24 contests for the Devils, who have dropped three in a row overall and are 4-11-2 in their last 17 road games. Scott Gomez and defenseman Jon Merrill each notched an assist and Cory Schneider turned aside 32 shots in his league-best 47th start.
After forging a tie only 2 1/2 minutes earlier, Hossa vied for his fourth straight two-goal performance as he skated hard toward the net. Schneider made the initial save but Toews lifted the stick of New Jersey defenseman Marek Zidlicky and tapped the loose puck home to give Chicago a 2-1 lead at 4:10 of the third period.
Toews hit the post on a Blackhawks power play before New Jersey drew first blood as Harrold's one-timer from the top of the right circle caromed off the pad of Crawford and into the net to open the scoring with 4:30 remaining in the first period. The slim lead held up until 1:27 of the third, as Hossa took advantage of Michael Ryder's interference penalty by wristing a shot from the right circle that sailed between the legs of Merrill and past Schneider.
GAME NOTEBOOK: New Jersey LW Patrik Elias became the 103rd player in NHL history to play in his 1,200th career game ... Harrold's tally was his first since Nov. 28 in a 5-4 setback to Detroit. ... Chicago native RW Ryan Hartman leveled Devils veteran RW Dainius Zubrus with a check on his first shift while making his NHL debut with the Blackhawks. The 20-year-old Hartman, the 30th overall pick of the 2013 draft, was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Thursday.