Palmieri helps Devils rebound with win in Calgary
CALGARY, Alberta -- Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.
Taylor Hall scored the game-winning goal for the Devils (17-18-9), who rebounded from a 3-2 overtime loss in Edmonton to the Oilers one night earlier.
Back-up goalie Keith Kinkaid started in net for the Devils and made 31 saves to improve his record to 5-4-2.
Sean Monahan scored his first goal in 12 games for the Flames (23-20-2), who will be looking to bounce back with a win on Saturday in Edmonton against the Oilers.
Making his fourth straight start for the Flames, goalie Chad Johnson stopped 34 of 36 shots he faced. Johnson stopped a breakaway attempt by New Jersey left winger Miles Wood with five minutes left in regulation to give Calgary a chance, but the Flames weren't able to notch the equalizer.
Calgary trailed 2-0 after one before scoring the lone goal of the second period. Kinkaid then stopped all eight shots he faced in the final frame to help the Devils snap their four-game losing streak.
The Flames had a great chance to open the scoring on an early power play when Monahan redirected a slap pass from Kris Versteeg on net, but Kinkaid stood his ground to make the save.
Palmieri put the Flames up 1-0 at 6:22 when he skated down the left wing before snapping a shot to the short side past Johnson.
After New Jersey defenseman Damon Severson rang a point shot off the post just past the 15-minute mark, Kinkaid made a blocker save at the other end of the ice to deny a scoring opportunity by Sam Bennett.
The Devils extended their lead to 2-0 at 18:30 thanks to a power-play goal by Hall, who crept in off the point before wiring a shot past Johnson to the glove side.
Johnson made back-to-back saves to deny a pair of scoring chances by Jacob Josefson early in the second to keep the Flames in the game.
Monahan then pulled the Flames within a goal at 14:04 when he picked up a rebound in the crease in front of Kinkaid before shoveling a shot past the fallen goaltender.
NOTES: Calgary RW Troy Brouwer started on a line with C Sean Monahan and LW Kris Versteeg. Before missing eight games with a broken finger, Brouwer had played in 309 straight NHL games. ... LW Micheal Ferland (day to day) sustained a lower-body injury during Calgary's 3-2 win at home over San Jose on Wednesday. ... D Brett Kulak and C Freddie Hamilton were Calgary's healthy scratches. ... Devils C Sergey Kalinin blocked a shot at the end of the second period in Edmonton on Thursday and didn't finish the game. He sat out against the Flames. ... Rookie C Pavel Zacha made his return to the lineup after missing Thursday's game. ... C Jacob Josefson also returned to the Devils' lineup after missing six games with an illness. To make room for him on the roster, RW Nick Lappin was reassigned to Albany. ... The Devils also scratched LW Luke Gazdic and D Seth Helgeson.