AP

Devils beat Blue Jackets 3-1 for 4th win in 5 games

Jan 6, 2022, 4:45 AM | Updated: 7:50 pm

New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) passes the puck as he is pursued by Columbus B...

New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) passes the puck as he is pursued by Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Eric Robinson (50) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)


              New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) passes the puck as he is pursued by Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Eric Robinson (50) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Jakub Voracek (93) controls the puck as New Jersey Devils left wing Jimmy Vesey (16) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) celebrates his empty-net goal with Tomas Tatar (90), Ryan Graves (33) and P.K. Subban (76) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              Columbus Blue Jackets center Emil Bemstrom (52) and New Jersey Devils left wing Janne Kuokkanen (59) vie for control of the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) passes the puck past Columbus Blue Jackets center Max Domi (16) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod (20) holds off Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Eric Robinson (50) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              New Jersey Devils left wing Tomas Tatar (90) scores a goal past Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              New Jersey Devils left wing Jimmy Vesey (16) and Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand (28) vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
            
              Columbus Blue Jackets center Jack Roslovic (96) and New Jersey Devils left wing Janne Kuokkanen (59) chase after the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jesper Bratt scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, MacKenzie Blackwood made 31 saves and the New Jersey Devils beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Thursday night for their fourth win in five games.

The teams will complete the home-and-home series Saturday night in Columbus.

Bratt took a pass from Jack Hughes — who had a goal and two assists — and whipped the puck past goalie Joonas Korpisalo on a power play at 1:16 for his 10th goal of the season. Nathan Bastian also assisted. The 23-year-old Bratt leads the Devils with 32 points, and has two goals and six assists in his last five games.

“Today was a total team effort,” said Bratt, a sixth-round pick by the Devils in 2016. “Since the break we’ve been playing good hockey.”

Tomas Tatar also scored for New Jersey.

The Devils played without key forwards Yegor Sharangovich, Pavel Zacha and Andreas Johnsson because of COVID-19 protocol but were able to forge another victory as Blackwood made 17 saves in the first, seven in the second and seven more in third.

“I thought we got a great effort from out of Mackenzie,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “The first period, we weren’t running on all cylinders and he made some big saves for us to win that hockey game.”

Hughes added an empty-netter with 1:20 left, his ninth goal of the season.

“Jack has got himself on a roll,´´ Ruff said. “He’s making a difference, making a lot of things happen offensively. He’s skating really well.”

Hughes has a five-game points streak, with four goals and eight assists. The first overall pick in the 2019 draft, Hughes has 20 points in 18 games this season.

“I’m in a good spot right now in terms of points,” Hughes said. “I’m shooting the puck, putting things towards the net. At the same time, I’m only 20. By the time I’m 25, I want to be a completely different player and much better.”

Max Domi scored for Columbus, and Korpisalo made 25 saves.

“He made some unbelievable saves,” Domi said of his netminder. “They have some dynamic players out there and Korpy came up big … We have to play better for him.”

The Blue Jackets lost their third straight, failing to score on four power-play chances.

“We had a good start. We played very simple, checked well and made the right plays at the right times,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “Then it got away from us … it’s just not good enough.”

Tatar opened the scoring for the Devils 51 seconds into the game, tapping the puck past Korpisalo for his eighth goal of the season. Domi tied it at 4:54 of the first with his eighth goal.

The Blue Jackets had five games postponed between Dec. 18 and Dec. 28 because of COVID-19 issues and have played just four games since Dec. 16.

“There’s a ton of try. At some point you have to play with some poise,” Larsen added. “We have to get better. We are going to chip at it one situation at a time.”

MILESTONE GAME

Columbus forward Jakub Voracek played his 1,000th career game. The 32-year-old Voracek was drafted seventh overall by Columbus in 2007 and played his first three NHL seasons for the Blue Jackets before he was traded to Philadelphia where his skated for 10 seasons. He re-joined the Blue Jackets in a trade last July in which the Flyers received Cam Atkinson.

NOTES: Blue Jackets defenseman Jake Christiansen made his NHL debut … The Devils scratched defenseman Mason Geertsen and goaltender Jon Gillies…. New Jersey defenseman Dougie Hamilton was placed on the injured list retroactive to Jan. 2 after suffering a broken jaw taking that day against Boston … The Blue Jackets scratched forward Alexandre Texier, defenseman Gabriel Carlsson and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Devils beat Blue Jackets 3-1 for 4th win in 5 games