Devils grab 3-2 win over Avalanche
NEWARK, N.J. -- Kyle Palmieri scored his 15th goal of the season and Cory Schneider made 28 saves as the New Jersey Devils defeated the hapless Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Tuesday night at Prudential Center.
The Devils improved to 4-1-1 in their past six games and the Avalanche, who are last in the NHL standings, have lost four straight and 13 of 15.
Pavel Zacha and Andy Greene also scored for the Devils, who moved within three points of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference pending the outcome of the New York Islanders-Maple Leafs game in Toronto on Tuesday night.
Mark Barberio and Mikhail Grigorenko had the goals for the Avalanche. Goaltender Jeremy Smith stopped 37 of 40 shots in his NHL debut.
Zacha's seventh goal put the Devils ahead 1-0 at 2:04 of the first period. The Avalanche turned the puck over at the blue line, which led to Jacob Josefson's wrist shot that was stopped by Smith. Zacha pounced on the rebound with Stefan Noeson in front to open the scoring.
Barberio evened the score with a power-play goal at 6:43 of the second period. The defenseman moved down low and tapped home a cross-crease pass from Gabriel Landeskog for his first goal of the season.
Greene put the Devils in front 2-1 with a power-play goal 2:12 later. He ripped a slap shot from the blue line that beat Smith with aid from a Miles Wood screen, although the goal was initially waved off for goaltender interference. Devils coach John Hynes challenged the ruling and the no-goal call was overturned.
Palmieri converted a well-executed two-on-one chance with Taylor Hall to extend the Devils lead to 3-1 at 16:25. Palmieri dished to Hall on the left wing and Hall returned to the pass to the right post for the easy goal.
A sloppy play by PA Parenteau helped allow the Avalanche trim the lead to 3-2 with 1:26 remaining in the period. Matt Duchene took the puck from Parenteau below the goal line, skated toward the net and fed Grigorenko in the shot for the one-touch goal.
NOTES: Avalanche D Patrick Wiercioch was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... Avalanche G Calvin Pickard, who started seven of the past eight games, served as the backup. ... Devils D Jon Merrill returned to the lineup after missing five games with an upper-body injury. He replaced D Seth Helgeson, who has one goal in nine games this season. ... Devils D Kyle Quincey and RW Beau Bennett took part in the morning skate but did not play. Quincey (upper body) and Bennett (lower body) missed their third and ninth straight games, respectively.