Jack Hughes, Jesper Boqvist and Tomas Tatar scored second-period goals to give the New Jersey Devils all they needed in a 3-1 victory over the host Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
Akira Schmid (4-0-0) made 33 saves for the Devils, who were coming off a 2-1 loss to the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday that ended their franchise record-tying, 13-game winning streak.
The Devils, who have won nine straight road games, outshot the Sabres 44-34, with both teams failing to score on their lone man-advantage opportunity.
Victor Olofsson scored and Craig Anderson (4-4-0) made 41 saves for Buffalo, which ended a two-game winning streak with its ninth loss in the past 11 games
After a scoreless first period in which the Devils outshot the Sabres 16-7, New Jersey broke through two minutes into the second period. Hughes took a pass from Dawson Mercer and wristed a shot past Anderson, with Erik Haula also assisting on the play.
The Devils doubled their lead when Boqvist one-timed Yegor Sharangovich’s pass from behind the Sabres’ goal off Anderson’s shoulder and the goalpost before it crossed the goal line at the 5:47 mark of the second period.
Olofsson pulled the Sabres to within 2-1 when he wristed Casey Mittelstadt’s pass past Schmid with 5:41 left in the second period, with Henri Jokiharju also assisting on play.
The Devils extended their lead to 3-1 when Tatar took a pass from Nico Hischier and wristed a shot past Anderson with just over two minutes left in the period, with Jesper Bratt also recording an assist.
The Sabres host the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday before visiting the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
The Devils host the Washington Capitals on Saturday before playing at the New York Rangers on Monday.
–Field Level Media