Eight of the Devils’ next nine games are at the Prudential Center, which is unfortunate for a team that can’t seem to lose on the road.
The Devils won their sixth straight road game and improved to 8-0-1 in their past nine games away from Newark when they rolled past the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-1, on Saturday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Taylor Hall scored twice, including an empty netter, while Goalie Cory Schneider made 31 saves to neutralize a Columbus that entered 33-12-5 while averaging 3.34 goals per game — third most in the NHL.
Following a 4-3 overtime loss at home on Friday to the Calgary Flames, the Devils rebounded quickly with a fast goal. Then like Hall wanted, the team stepped on the gas.
What Devils need to swing OT fortunes
Hall opened the scoring with a backhanded goal off a drop pass from Travis Zajac 3:29 into play, giving the Devils 1-0 lead they carried into the second period.
After surrendering two power play goals early in Friday’s loss, the Devils killed off two Blue Jackets power plays in the first period to protect the lead.
Jacob Josefson doubled the lead 1:49 into the second period when he tipped an Andy Greene shot into goal, and the Devils piled on later in the frame when Zajac batted a puck out of the air in the crease and into goal for a power-play goal at 18:58.
The Blue Jackets appeared to get on the board 25 seconds into the third period when a Cam Atkinson shot bounced off Boone Jenner’s skate and inside the left post. But the Devils challenged for interference, and review showed Jenner made significant contact with Schneider before the goal.
A mistake on the power play did get the Blue Jackets on the board when the Blue Jackets forced a turnover behind the Devils net, setting up Matt Calvert for a short-handed goal with 8:25 left in regulation.
Hall’s empty netter with 3:12 left sealed the win before defenseman Seth Helgeson added his first goal of the season with 29 seconds left.
Fiddler trade: Just before opening faceoff, the Devils traded center Vern Fiddler to the Nashville Predators for a 2017 fourth-round pick.
Injuries: Forward Beau Bennett could be ready to play in Monday’s home game against the Buffalo Sabres, but coach John Hynes said he does not expect defenseman John Moore to be ready to return until after the team’s upcoming bye week.
Next up: The Devils host the Sabres at 7 p.m. on Monday before starting a five-day bye week. The Devils resume play after the break with a 12:30 p.m. home faceoff against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, Feb. 12.
Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.
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