10 Takeaways: Devils pounce on Panthers in 2-1 win

The Devils have found their way back into the win column with a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. In the first of a back-to-back and honoring U.S. veterans, the Devils put on a show for their home crowd.
Here are 10 takeaways from the game:

1. It was Military Appreciation Night at Prudential Center. The New Jersey Devils honored members of the U.S. military throughout the game. In addition, all players wore camo warm-up jerseys before the game that will be signed and auctioned off online at NewJerseyDevils.com after the game.
   Tweet from @NJDevils: Tonight���s @Prudential Heroes Among Us is John, a 96-year old WWII veteran. �� to hear his story and @PruCenter showing their appreciation for John tonight. ������ pic.twitter.com/aNejGtqjSH
   All proceeds from the auction will benefit Homes for Our Troops, a non-profit organization that builds and donates custom homes nationwide for severely injured veterans.
   2. The Devils are 6-0-0 against the Atlantic Division, including 3-0-0 at home.
   3. Kyle Palmieri and Taylor Hall wore the "A"s on their jerseys as coach John Hynes continues to rotate the assistant captains this season.
   4. The Devils took a 1-0 lead at 5:59 of the first period when Damon Severson shot a puck through traffic and behind Florida's James Reimer. Reimer was likely unable to see the puck with Brian Boyle set up in front of him with a perfect screen. It was Severson's second goal of the season, and assisted on by Jimmy Hayes.
   Severson has plenty of success when he plays against the Panthers. He has registered 3g-5a for eight points in nine games against Florida.
   Tweet from @NJDevils: Good luck seeing through this @BriBrows22 screen. Sevo puts the #NJDevils up early in the first! #FLAvsNJD pic.twitter.com/NpYEPXMJ39
   Hayes' assist gives him six points this season in 15 games. He surpassed his total from last season (five) with the Bruins, which took him 58 games.
   5. Including Severson's opening goal Saturday night, the Devils have opened scoring in four consecutive games.
   6. Palmieri gave the Devils a 2-0 lead in the second period on a 5-on-3 man advantage. Plenty of credit goes to Nico Hischier and Will Butcher. Hischier made a crisp pass from the half wall to Butcher at the point, who then shot it to Palmieri, who one-timed it for his fourth goal of the season. The assists were Hischier's ninth and Butcher's 13th of the season.
   Tweet from @NJDevils: ����#FLAvsNJD pic.twitter.com/evVZjNdWQO
   It was Palmieri's first goal since returning from six games on injured reserve with a lower body injury.
   The 5-on-3 goal ended an 0-for-12 run on the power play for the Devils.
   7. Butcher's assist on the Palmieri goal was his 13th in 16 games this season. The last Devils defenseman with as many assists in the first 16 games of a season was Scott Stevens back in 1991-92.
   8. In the physical affair between the Devils and Panthers, the crowd went particularly wild in the second period when Steven Santini laid out Florida's Aleksander Barkov along the Panthers' bench. The hit was so thunderous it sent Barkov backwards into his own bench. When Santini was later shown on the scoreboard following the hit, the crowd rewarded him with a huge applause. See the hit below:
   Tweet from @NJDevils: Grab some pine. #FLAvsNJD pic.twitter.com/csa6aaurNY
   9. Prior to Saturday night's game, Travis Zajac and Michael McLeod skated with the rest of their teammates during morning skate. Both have been medically cleared to practice in full participation. Zajac will likely make his season debut next week on the road.
   10. The Devils wrapped up their three-game home stand with a 1-1-1 record. They head immediately to Chicago to play the Blackhawks on Sunday evening. They'll then head out on the road for three more games with stops in Toronto, Winnipeg and Minnesota.