New Jersey Devils vs Boston Bruins Match Player Stats On Dec 27, 2018

Damon Severson scored in the opening minute Thursday night to give the New Jersey Devils a lead they never relinquished in a 5-2 victory over the host Boston Bruins.

Blake Coleman scored twice while Kyle Palmieri and Nico Hischier each had a goal for the Devils, who have won two straight. Hischier also notched an assist, and Andy Greene had two assists.

Rookie Mackenzie Blackwood recorded 40 saves to earn his first NHL win as well as the first victory by a New Jersey goalie other than Keith Kinkaid since Feb. 17, when Eddie Lack notched his only win for the club.

Chris Wagner and Patrice Bergeron scored for the Bruins, who have lost two straight. Goalie Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves.

The Devils needed just 25 seconds to take the lead on a goal by Severson, who took a pass from Greene in the middle of a faceoff circle and fired a shot under Halak's legs as Bruins center Danton Heinen bore down behind him and Boston defensemen Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug converged upon the crease.

Carlo played an unexpected -- and for him unwanted -- role in the power-play goal that doubled the Devils' lead exactly 15 minutes later. Halak deflected Palmieri's slap shot, but the puck bounced into the air and off Carlo's stick, which the defenseman was holding aloft. Carlo tried to retrieve the puck but could not get it as it floated over the red line and into the back of the net for a goal credited to Palmieri.

The Bruins pulled within a goal with 4:53 left in the second, when John Moore passed across the crease to Wagner, who went to one knee and fired a shot past Blackwood as the goalie was caught leaning in Moore's direction.

Coleman singlehandedly produced the goal that extended the Devils' lead back to two early in the third period. The center crouched down to block a slap shot by Krug, then got right up and outraced Krug to the loose puck. Coleman descended upon Halak, went to the backhand as he reached the crease and poked the puck past Halak as he sailed into the back of the net.

The Devils scored on another breakaway to put the game away late in the third. New Jersey left winger Miles Wood beat Krug to a loose puck near center ice, and with Krug draping him, managed to slide the puck to Hischier, who beat Halak from point-blank range with 7:17 left.

Bergeron closed the gap to 4-2 with 2:55 left, when a shot from Jake DeBrusk ticked off Bergeron's shin and into the net. Coleman added an empty-netter with 47.5 seconds remaining.

--Field Level Media