Swedish goalie Johan Hedberg helped the red-hot New Jersey Devils post their sixth successive victory with a 1-0 shutout of the New York Rangers on Friday.
Hedberg, unbeaten since taking over in goal for the injured Martin Brodeur on Feb. 6, made 16 saves, while Ilya Kovalchuk got the game’s only goal to extend his season-high point streak to nine games.
New Jersey’s winger converted a wrister after 8 minutes, 18 seconds of the second period to continue his strong form and run his team-best goal total to 21, triggering admiring chants from his home crowd.
“I’m feeling confident,” Kovalchuk told reporters, having joined the Devils in a trade from Atlanta just over a year ago. “The coach trusts me a lot. When you feel that kind of positive thing from behind bench, it gives you a lot of energy and you want to work really hard.”
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 shots for the Rangers (31-25), who lost for the seventh time in the last nine games, but still hold the seventh playoff seed in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
Ryan Callahan hit the post with a shot early in the third that would have tied the game for New York, but they fell for a second straight time to New Jersey.
The streaking Devils (24-30) are trying to make a run at the post-season, but are 12 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
New Jersey are 14-1-2 in their last 17 games and have recently activated Brodeur to return to the ice from a right knee sprain.
In the meantime, Hedberg earned his fifth straight win and second shutout of the season.
BLUES 3, SABRES 0
In Buffalo, New York, Ty Conklin stopped 25 shots to lead St Louis over Buffalo shortly after the Blues traded captain Eric Brewer.
T.J. Oshie had a goal and assist for his first two-point game since he returned on Jan. 18 after missing 31 games with a broken left ankle. David Backes and Vladimir Sobotka also scored for the Blues, who won their second in a row and improved to 4-1-2 in their past seven.
The Sabres lost two straight for the first time in a 21-game stretch in which they’re now 13-6-2.
The Blues traded Brewer to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Brock Beukeboom, an unsigned draft pick and a third-round pick in this year’s draft.
BRUINS 4, SENATORS 2
In Ottawa, Brad Marchand scored twice and Nathan Horton had a goal and an assist to lead Boston.
Tuukka Rask made 32 saves and Dennis Seidenberg also scored for the Bruins, who acquired three-time All-Star defenseman Tomas Kaberle from Toronto in a trade earlier on Friday.
Kaberle made his Bruins debut along with former Senators center Chris Kelly, who was acquired in a trade with Ottawa on Tuesday.
Bobby Butler scored for a third straight game early in the second to give the Senators a brief 1-0 lead. Alex Kovalev then scored a power-play goal with 1:30 left in the third to draw Ottawa within two.
RED WINGS 4, PANTHERS 3
In Sunrise, Florida, Todd Bertuzzi had two goals, including the game-winner with 7:32 remaining, to lift Detroit.
Pavel Datsyuk and Dan Cleary also scored for the Red Wings, who matched their longest winning streak of the season with their fourth consecutive victory.
Henrik Zetterberg had two assists, giving him eight in his last five games.
Joey MacDonald stopped 29 shots for Detroit.
Weiss had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who have lost seven of eight at home.
In other NHL play, it was:
‧ Wild 5, Ducks 1
‧ Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2
‧ Blue Jackets 4, Blackhawks 3
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