Nico Hischier scored his fourth goal in two games and the New Jersey Devils defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in a shootout Monday night in Newark, N.J., to sweep a home-and-home set.
Luke Hughes had a goal and an assist for the Devils (40-29-7, 87 points), who trail the Carolina Hurricanes by seven points for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves.
Paul Cotter and Jesper Bratt scored for New Jersey in the shootout.
Hischier netted a hat trick in New Jersey’s 5-2 win at Minnesota on Saturday.
Cotter appeared to earn the Devils a win with a goal at 2:57 of overtime, but the play was automatically reviewed and ruled offside.
Vinnie Hinostroza and Matt Boldy scored for the Wild (41-28-6, 88 points), who have lost four of five (1-3-1) but lead the Western Conference wild-card race. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots.
Mats Zuccarello and Boldy were unsuccessful on shootout attempts for Minnesota.
Boldy tied it with 2:08 remaining in the third period. A pass by New Jersey’s Brenden Dillon from behind his own net deflected off the skate of Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno and in front to Boldy, who took his time and put a backhand shot past Markstrom.
Hughes gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 12:30 of the first period after Justin Dowling poked a loose puck back to Brett Pesce at the point. Pesce passed across to a wide-open Hughes, who skated down into the left circle and fired a wrist shot far side under Gustavsson’s glove.
Hinostroza tied the score 1-1 at 2:57 of the third period when he redirected Jake Middleton’s point shot past Markstrom from in front.
Pesce thought he gave the Devils a 2-1 lead moments later when his shot bounced over Gustavsson on the goal line but landed on his back. The call on the ice was no goal, and it was confirmed after a video review.
Hischier did give the Devils a 2-1 lead at 9:12 of the third. Hughes poked the puck away from Minnesota’s Justin Brazeau in the Wild zone. Stefan Noesen sent a shot-pass toward the net, and Hischier deflected the puck past Gustavsson.
–Field Level Media
