Cory Schneider makes 29 saves as New Jersey Devils blank Edmonton Oilers 2-0

EDMONTON - Cory Schneider made 29 saves to record his second shutout of the season and 14th of his career as the New Jersey Devils snapped a two-game losing skid with a 2-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.

Adam Henrique and Tuomo Ruutu scored and Eric Gelinas had two assists for the Devils (9-9-2), who won just their third game in their last nine outings.

The Oilers (6-12-2) have lost five in a row for the second time this season.

Edmonton had a good chance to start the scoring midway through the opening frame, as Benoit Pouliot had Schneider beat with a deke, but lost control of the puck before he could put a backhand shot into a wide-open net.

New Jersey's best opportunity in the scoreless first period came on a fairly common occurrence for the Oilers this season, as they coughed up a short-handed breakaway to Henrique, but Edmonton starter Viktor Fasth was able to get a piece of the shot to deflect it wide.

New Jersey broke the deadlock just past the midway point of the second period as Henrique got another partial breakaway, shrugging off defender Justin Schultz before putting the puck through Fasth's legs for his fifth of the season.

The Devils took a 2-0 lead with five minutes left in the middle period as Ruutu sniped a shot to the top corner from the middle of the left face-off circle that Fasth only waved at.

Things got even tougher for the Oilers in the second period as Pouliot left the game with what was reported to be a broken foot after blocking a shot.

New Jersey outshot the Oilers 19-8 in the second.

Edmonton had an opportunity to get back into the game early in the third when Marek Zidlicky took a double minor for high-sticking Nail Yakupov in the face, but the Oilers were unable to get anything going on the extended man advantage.

Both teams are right back at it again on Saturday as the Oilers finish off a five-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Devils travel to Calgary to face the Flames.

Notes: It was the first of two meetings between the two teams this season. The Devils and Oilers split two games last season, each winning on home ice… Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was playing in his 200th career NHL game. His 99 assists coming into the game were the most from players selected in the 2011 Draft … Schneider made his 20th consecutive start, setting a New Jersey record for starts from the beginning of the season. Martin Brodeur started the first 19 games of the 2001-2002 season. Brodeur holds the Devils record for consecutive starts with 44, doing so at the end of the 1995-96 season … The Oilers adjusted their top line for the start of the matchup, moving Pouliot up to play with Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle, while Taylor Hall started the game with Leon Draisaitl and Teddy Purcell … Oilers defenceman Mark Fayne played his first game against his former team after signing with Edmonton as a free agent last summer. Fayne spent his first four seasons with the Devils … Out for the Devils were Ryane Clowe (concussion), Jon Merrill (arm) and Bryce Salvador (lower body). The Oilers had no injuries … New Jersey forward Jaromir Jagr entered the contest with 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 32 career appearances against the Oilers.