Panthers 5, Devils 1
NEWARK, N.J. -- Left winger Brandon Pirri had a goal and two assists as the Florida Panthers rolled past the New Jersey Devils 5-1 at Prudential Center on Thursday night.
Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov and right wingers Jussi Jokinen, Reilly Smith and Logan Shaw also scored for the Panthers.
Goaltender Al Montoya, who stopped 15 shots, allowed three goals over his past three starts.
Devils right winger Kyle Palmieri scored his 14th goal of the season while goaltender Corey Schneider stopped 21 shots in the losing effort.
Two goals three minutes apart in the first period put the Panthers ahead 2-0.
Jokinen shook loose for a short breakaway during a power play and scored the game's first goal. Pirri's pass sprang Jokinen, who beat Schneider over his catching glove to make it 1-0 at 9:32.
Kulikov's first goal of the season made it 2-0 at 12:00. The Panthers worked the puck around the Devils' zone at ease with the pressure resulting in right winger Jaromir Jagr setting up Kulikov for a stick-side shot that snapped a 40-game goal drought dating to last season.
Pirri extended the lead to 3-0 at 2:42 of the second period. On an odd-man rush, Pirri dropped the puck to center Corban Knight, whose one-time attempt was blocked. The puck caromed back to the stick of Pirri, who buried the puck into a gaping net for his seventh of the season.
Smith erased any remaining doubt when he scored to make it 4-0 at 7:28 of the third period. The play started when center Vincent Trocheck directed the puck on net from just outside the crease. Smith took multiple whacks at the puck before squeezing it through Schneider for his 10th of the season.
Palmieri's power-play goal with 6:22 remaining cut the deficit to 4-1. He one-timed a shot from the left face-off circle off a pass from defenseman David Schlemko that ended Montoya's shutout bid.
Shaw added an empty-net goal with 4:44 remaining by shoveling the puck home from near the blue line.
NOTES: Panthers G Roberto Luongo served as the backup. He is expected to start Friday at Carolina against the Hurricanes. ... Panthers C Nick Bjugstad (upper body) has not played since Nov. 29. ... Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr returned after missing one game with an illness. ... Devils LW Tuomo Ruutu was back in the lineup after missing 27 games with a lower-body injury. ... Devils C Travis Zajac (lower body) missed his seventh straight game but could return Saturday to face the Anaheim Ducks.