Devils Shellac Jackets in 8-1 Win | GAME STORY

Jack Hughes and Timo Meier each scored twice as the Devils shellacked the Columbus Blue Jackets, 8-1, Thursday night at Prudential Center.
The victory, the 50th for New Jersey, all but locks up home-ice advantage for New Jersey, which now has a five-point lead - depending on the NY Rangers outcome in St. Louis - for the No. 2 spot with three games to play.
Tomas Tatar, Erik Haula, Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, playing in his 300th career NHL game, all tallied as well for New Jersey. Eleven different Devils got on the scoresheet.
Rookie Joona Luoto scored his first-career NHL goal and the Jackets only marker.

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The Devils face the NHL's top team in the Boston Saturday night. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, including right here at NewJerseyDevils.com. Puck drop is 8:08 p.m. ET.
Here are some observations from the game...
- Hughes continues to climb the mountain of the Devils' record books. He picked up his 41st and 42nd goals of the season and two assists for a four-point night and 95 points on the year. His 95 points place him just two away from Patrik Elias' franchise record for a single season (96, 2000-01) and second place (tied) in team history (Zach Parise, Kirk Muller). And his 42 goals rank sixth-most (tied, John MacLean) in a single season in franchise history.

"Of course I want that record," Hughes said. "I'm going to be here for a lot of years. I'd like to break it this year, but who knows? We'll see what happens."

- Hughes' goal to open the game was his 200th career NHL point. He is the second youngest player in franchise history to reach 200 at 21 years, 327 days old. Muller holds the mark at 21 years, 255 days. - Hughes has 10 multi-goal games this season, the first since Brian Gionta also had 10 (2005-06). - Tatar scored twice in the game (though only one counted). Tatar took a drop pass on a 3-on-2 rush in the first period. He sniped a shot short side, but the play was challenged and overturned due to off-side (ironically, Tatar was the player guilty).

"The first one I screwed myself," Tatar said, "so I was happy to get a second one."

Tatar made good on his tally though in the second period. He won a board battle with Kirill Marchenko then cut around Boone Jenner to the goal. His pulled the puck to his backhand and let the puck slide through the five-hole and off the inside post and just over the goal line. So he did get rewarded after all.

"I'm surprised that one wasn't taken away, too," Tatar joked.

- The Devils power play was clicking against the Blue Jackets, picking up two goals with some nice passing plays. The first was a tic-tac-toe that ended with Hughes finishing at the side of the net. On the other, Hughes cut to the slot and tried to pass to Jesper Bratt but the pass was blocked by a stick. Hughes recollected the puck and went to his left instead to Meier, who finished.

"We've been working on the power play so it's nice to score some goals and gain some confidence," Meier said. "Knowing how we compliment each other and what spots we go to. We'll keep working on it, but it's nice to get some goals on the power play."

- Meier scored two goals and three points in the game. His second tally, a beautiful snipe from the slot, was his 40th goal of the year, his first time hitting the 40 mark. Meier has five goals and seven points in his last seven games. He's comfortable and starting to excel now with New Jersey.

"Game by game I'm feeling better and getting more familiar with the system," Meier said. "It's important to keep working on it. We have three more games before playoffs start. You want to be perfect and ready to go."

- Defenseman John Marino with a casual three assists in the game.

"Everyone was just contributing out there," Marino said. "Making plays, playing with confidence, playing as a five-man unit out there. When you do that it's a lot more fun."

- Graves picked up two points (1g-1a) and a plus-4 in the contest. His second point (goal) was also his 100th career NHL point. - Great response by the Devils to stand up for their captain. He was boarded into the wall face first by a frustrated Billy Sweezey. Tatar rushed first and then all five players in Red sprinted after Sweezey and a scrum ensued.

"(Sweezey) I think punched (Hischier) at least 10 times. You have to be able to stand up for yourself," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "You don't want to get hurt in that situation, but you do have to stand up for yourself. The fact that everybody got in there, that's the spirit we need on our team. That's the togetherness we need. That's the stuff that brings you together and say we're all in."