latimes
Brett Pesce snapped a 1-1 deadlock at 8:08 of the third period, and Jake Allen turned aside 12 shots as the New Jersey Devils skated past the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 on Saturday, extending their winning streak to three games.
Anthony Mantha and Artemy Gritsyuk also found the net for New Jersey, which completed a homestand sweep that included victories over Colorado and Anaheim. The Devils have now won five of their last six contests. Allen improved his season record to 5-2-0.
Scott Laughton provided the lone offense for Los Angeles, which saw its two-game winning streak come to an end. Goaltender Anton Forsberg made 23 saves in the loss.
Pesce's first goal of the season came after the defenseman found a clear shooting lane through traffic in the Kings' zone and beat Forsberg. Luke Evangelista and Gritsyuk picked up assists on the play.
Before the game, New Jersey introduced recently acquired goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The 33-year-old netminder spent 11 seasons with Winnipeg, where he won 345 games and captured the Vezina Trophy three times. In the trade that brought Hellebuyck to the Devils on Friday, New Jersey sent goaltender Nico Daws—who earned the win against the Ducks on Thursday—to the Jets. Remi Poirier, who has yet to appear in an NHL game, served as Allen's backup on Saturday.
Laughton opened the scoring at 15:57 of the second period, driving the puck past Allen for his second goal of the season. Mantha leveled the score about three minutes later with his third goal. Gritsyuk sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:55, his team-leading sixth tally.
The Kings had an opportunity to tie the game when New Jersey's Timo Meier was whistled for tripping at 12:59 of the third period, but the power play came up empty.
Los Angeles entered the game riding road wins over Washington and the New York Islanders to begin a four-game trip, following a season-opening six-game losing streak. The Kings next visit the New York Rangers on Monday.
Key Analysis
The Devils' recent surge has been fueled by balanced scoring and solid goaltending, with Allen providing stability between the pipes. The addition of Hellebuyck adds a proven winner to the mix, potentially making New Jersey a formidable contender. For the Kings, the loss highlights ongoing struggles with consistency, though their recent road victories suggest progress after a rough start.
Originally reported by latimes.