Hall's two-goal period pushes Devils past Ducks
NEWARK, N.J. -- Taylor Hall scored his first two goals as the New Jersey Devils defeated the undisciplined Anaheim Ducks 2-1 at Prudential Center on Tuesday night for their first victory of the season.
Hall, acquired in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson in June, was held scoreless in his first two games as a Devil. However, the left winger found the back of the net twice in the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit.
The Ducks had a chance to tie late when Devils defenseman John Moore was whistled for delay of game with 3:04 remaining, but their power play came up empty.
New Jersey goaltender Cory Schneider stopped 23 shots as he and his team improved to 1-1-1.
The Ducks, who fell to 0-3-1, received their goal from defenseman Sami Vatanen. Goaltender John Gibson played well, making 26 saves.
After 20 minutes, the Ducks held a 1-0 lead on Vatanen's power-play goal at 9:03. The Devils' penalty-killers were trapped in their zone for the duration of the power play -- 1:48 total -- and were out of gas when Vatanen's shot from the right face-off circle beat Schneider to the blocker side.
Hall responded in the second period with two power-play goals.
The Ducks killed a five-on-three power play but were unable to prevent a goal during the ensuing five-on-four advantage. Left winger Michael Cammalleri's short-side shot was stopped by Gibson, but Hall was there to pot the rebound to draw the Devils into a 1-1 tie at 12:35.
Hall scored again at 16:46, this time deflected a point shot from defenseman Damon Severson to put the Devils ahead 2-0.
With 1:11 remaining in the period, Ducks center Chris Wagner was awarded a penalty shot after Devils center Adam Henrique hooked him on a short-handed breakaway. Wagner deked Schneider to the ice on his penalty-shot attempt, but the puck bounced off his stick before he could shoot.
The Ducks took five consecutive minor penalties over the final 9:45 of the second period.
New Jersey finished 2-for-7 on the power play, while Anaheim's power play was 1-for-4.
NOTES: Anaheim is still without the services of D Hampus Lindholm, the team's best defenseman. Lindholm is a restricted free agent and remains without a contract. ... Ducks D Simon Despres (upper body) and LW Nate Thompson (Achilles) did not play. ... Anaheim scratched RW Jared Boll and D Korbinian Holzer. ... New Jersey LW Reid Boucher made his season debut. ... Devils D Jon Merrill (finger), C Sergey Kalinin (illness) and LW Luke Gazdic (foot) did not play. ... New Jersey D Steve Santini, LW Miles Wood and C Blake Speers were scratches.