Markstrom helps Devils end Panthers winning streak at 7
Makes 34 saves; Bratt, Hamilton each has 2 assists for New Jersey
Devils at Panthers | Recap
SUNRISE, Fla. — Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves, and the New Jersey Devils ended the Florida Panthers’ seven-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday.
Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton each had two assists for the Devils (11-6-2).
Sam Reinhart scored, and Spencer Knight made 20 saves for the Panthers (11-4-1), who had not lost since Oct. 22, 5-1 to the Minnesota Wild.
The teams will play again here Thursday.
Jack Hughes gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 8:30 of the first period. He scored with a one-timer from low in the right face-off circle off Bratt’s backhand pass from just inside the blue line.
It was Hughes’ 300th NHL point.
Reinhart tied it 1-1 on the power play at 8:41 of the second period when he deflected Uvis Balinskis’ point shot in the slot.
Timo Meier put the Devils up 2-1 by on a breakaway at 17:29.
Paul Cotter extended it to 3-1 at 15:07 of the third period. Nico Hischier drove toward the net and fed Cotter for a wrist shot from the left circle.
Ondrej Palat scored into an empty net with 1:02 remaining for the 4-1 final.
Panthers forward Sam Bennett was a late scratch because of an upper-body injury.
Florida, which had outscored its opponents 33-17 during the winning streak, was attempting to become the second team in the NHL (Winnipeg Jets) to reach the 25-point mark this season. The Panthers, playing their 16th game, also were trying to match the 2021-22 team as the fastest to 25 points in franchise history.