Devils 4, Canucks 2
Mike Cammalleri registered his third two-goal performance of the campaign and defenseman Adam Larsson notched three assists as host New Jersey earned a split of the two-game season series.
Patrik Elias and Jordin Tootoo also scored for the Devils, who improved to 2-0-0 on their season-high six-game homestand. Cory Schneider made 21 saves in his league-high 50th start as he improved to 1-1-2 against his former team while New Jersey snapped a six-game overall slide versus Vancouver and a three-game skid against the Canucks at home.
Zack Kassian netted both goals for the Canucks, who fell to 1-1-0 on their five-game East Coast road trip. Captain Henrik Sedin and twin brother Daniel each recorded two assists while Eddie Lack turned aside 23 shots for Vancouver, which posted a 2-0 win over the Devils at home on Nov. 25.
New Jersey opened the scoring 7:12 into the contest as Elias beat Lack to the short side with a one-timer from along the right-wing boards. Tootoo doubled the lead 50 seconds into the middle session, skating down the left wing and firing a shot from the faceoff dot between the goaltender's pads.
Cammalleri made it 3-0 just over two minutes later, when he one-timed a shot past Lack from the right circle during a power play. Kassian converted a feed from Daniel Sedin at 6:23 to get Vancouver on the board and cut the deficit to one 3:04 into the third by chipping a pass from Henrik Sedin past Schneider from the doorstep, but Cammalleri scored into an empty net while short-handed with two minutes remaining to seal it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Kassian's two-goal effort was the first of his career. ... Vancouver was without LW Alex Burrows due to a lower-body injury. ... Elias' goal was the 403rd of his career, moving him past Paul Kariya for sole possession of 89th place on the all-time list.