Lightning 4, Devils 0
NEWARK, N.J. -- Center Steven Stamkos and left winger Ondrej Palat each scored a goal and had an assist to lead the surging Tampa Bay Lighting to a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Friday night.
Right winger Ryan Callahan recorded two assists, while left winger Alex Killorn and defenseman Matt Carle added goals for Tampa Bay, which has won five straight and improved to 35-22-4.
Goaltender Ben Bishop made 18 saves to record his third shutout of the season.
The Devils dropped to 30-26-7 with their second straight loss, and fifth in their last six overall.
Under siege for much of the game, Devils goaltender Cory Schneider stopped 31 of 35 shots.
The reigning Eastern Conference champions went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead on the strength of Killorn's 11th of the season at 15:36. Essentially, Killorn had a half empty net to shoot at as the Devils were consumed with Stamkos in front.
Palat converted New Jersey right winger Lee Stempniak's defensive zone turnover into his seventh of the year to double Tampa's lead to 2-0 at 13:02. Then, 5 minutes, 52 seconds later, Stamkos pushed the advantage to 3-0 with his 27th of the season by redirecting a point shot from defenseman Anton Stralman.
All three of Tampa Bay's goals were scored at even strength. The Lightning were unable to convert on any of their six power plays, but did kill New Jersey's only man advantage.
Carle scored the only goal of the third period, his second of the season, to cap the scoring.
The Lightning and Devils will meet twice more this season; April 2 in Tampa Bay and April 7 in Newark.
NOTES: The announced attendance was 15,968. ... Tampa Bay signed D Braydon Coburn to a three-year extension worth $11.1 million on Friday. ... Devils coach John Hynes said LW Michael Cammalleri experienced a setback as he recuperates from an upper-body injury and the possibility exists that he could miss the rest of the season. He has 14 goals and 24 assists in 42 games this season. ... New Jersey scratched Seth Helgeson and D Eric Gelinas. C Jacob Josefson missed the game because of illness. ... Tampa Bay scratched D Jason Garrison, D Matt Taormina and RW Erik Condra. ... Boston, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the New York Rangers had scouts listed on the Prudential Center press box seating chart for the game. Flyers president Paul Holmgren was also included. The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET Monday.