Devils Drop Ducks | GAME STORY

NEWARK, N.J. - The Devils won the opening two games of their three-game homestand, and picked up their fourth win in the past five games, after grounding Anaheim, 4-1, at Prudential Center on Thursday night.

Arseny Gritsyuk, Nico Hischier, Anthony Mantha and Jack Hughes tallied for New Jersey.

The Devils scored three of their four goals from the blue paint with the empty-netter being the lone exception. New Jersey has been effective all season with offensive zone time, possession time and shot volume. What they haven't done is gotten inside for opportunities or generated those second and third opportunities on rebounds. Tonight they did and it resulted in three goals. 

"When teams look at us on pre-scout, they see a lot of skill guys that want to play on the outside," said Jesper Bratt, who had two assists in the game. "When you keep us to the outside, it helps their defense a lot. For us to find a new dimension in our game, throughout all the lines not just one or two lines, sift more pucks, get more pucks to the backside and just be there where things are happening. I think it's been paying off."

Tim Washe had the lone Ducks goal.

Here are some observations from the game:

• Devils forward Arseny Gritsyuk keeps rolling. He opened the scoring with a goal from right in the crease. Jack Hughes made a pass from the blue line down to Jesper Bratt at the right dot for a one-timed snapper. The shot was deflected and shuffled into the blue paint where Gritsyuk, who went unmarked on the play, easily tapped it into the net.

Gritsyuk: "I play with great guys. (Scoring) happened again and I hope it (keeps) happening."

Gritsyuk extended his goal scoring streak to four games with his fifth of the season. Gritsyuk has five goals in his last six games and seven points (5g-2a) in his past seven games.

• The Devils got a massive break late in the first period and it proved pivotal. Johnathan Kovacevic had the puck in his own zone and was carrying it from behind his net. As he got to the goal line, he attempted a backhand pass through the middle of the ice that was intercepted by Anaheim’s Roger McQueen, who would bury his shot. But the play was waved off immediately because the Ducks’ Alex Killorn tripped Kovacevic after the giveaway. The Devils got a power play out of it, on which they would score. So, instead of it being a late game-tying goal and a 1-1 game, it was a later power-play goal for the Devils to take a 2-0 lead into intermission.

• Captain Nico Hischier scored his fifth goal of the season and fourth power-play goal of the year. He was standing just inside the top of the crease when Bratt teed up a shot from the right dot. The rebound bounced into the paint and Hischier jammed it home.

• After Anaheim got on the board to make it 2-1, things got tense for the Devils. But there was a collective exhale after Anthony Mantha extended their lead to 3-1 late in the third period. It started with defenseman Brett Pesce keeping a clear attempt in the offensive zone at the blue line. He threw a shot toward the net. Mantha deflected the shot and then backhanded a rebound into the five-hole of Anaheim goalie Ville Husso. But as Husso was closing his legs he knocked the puck backward and into the net.