Devils snap Nashville's streak in a shootout

Nashville, TN - The New Jersey Devils took down the league's hottest team on Saturday night, defeating the Nashville Predators 3-2 in a shootout. Brian Boyle scored a regulation goal and the shootout winner as the Devils kicked-off their six-game road trip by getting back in the win column and snapping the Predators 10-game win streak.
Here are 10 takeaways from the game:

1. The Devils trailed early in their matchup with the Predators. Just 77 seconds into the game, and on their first shot on goal, Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm squeaked one past Keith Kinkaid for a 1-0 lead.
   Tweet from @NJviDs: #NJDvsNSH 1ST PERIOD1-0 NSHEkholm's 10th on the year pic.twitter.com/2CtGShKQCK
   2. Kinkaid started in net in his career-high 29th appearance of the season. Kinkaid made 34 saves on 36 shots for his 17th win of the season.
   Tweet from @NJDevils: ������������ #NJDvsNSH pic.twitter.com/3fteufLsJN
   3. Sami Vatanen continues to collect points. On Saturday night, the Finnish defenseman got the Devils on the board at 7:13 of the first period to tie the game at one. His point shot beat Nashville's goaltender Juuse Saros for his third goal as Devil and his fourth of the season. Will Butcher and Miles Wood earned the assists.
   Tweet from @NJDevils: Holy slapshot, #Vatman! #NJDvsNSH pic.twitter.com/y7yjgMEp7e
   4. Brian Boyle broke a 1-1 deadlock at 11:24 of the second period on the Devils 17th shot on net. Boyle screened Predators goalie, Saros from a Damon Severson point shot and redirected the puck into the net for his 13th goal of the year. The goal was his third point in as many games.

5. Patrick Maroon assisted on Boyle's second period goal giving him five points in six games since being acquired by New Jersey at the NHL Trade Deadline.
   6. The Devils sacrificed their bodies in the win against the Predators, blocking 16 shots in regulation against the Predators.
   7. The Devils were without two centers on Saturday night. Both Travis Zajac and Pavel Zacha stayed behind in New Jersey with respective injuries. Both are considered day-to-day and the hope is that they will be able to rejoin the team later on during the six-game road trip.
   8. Devils forward Brian Gibbons played an unusual role against the Predators. He was moved to center with Zajac and Zacha out of the lineup. Gibbons centered the second line with Michael Grabner and Kyle Palmieri. He had a 53 percent efficiency at the faceoff dot and played a total of 15:04 with one shot on goal.
   9. The Devils have just 13 games left in the 2017-18 regular season.
   10. Next up, the Devils are off to Las Vegas for a tilt against the Golden Knights. The team will then make stops in L.A., Anaheim, San Jose and Pittsburgh before returning home to face the Lightning on Mar. 24.