KANATA, Ont. - The Devils lost the special teams battle and in turn lost the game, 4-1, to the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night.

New Jersey went 0-for-5 on the power play, including failing on a late third period power-play chance to tie the game, while surrendering two man-advantage goals to the Senators. The Devils had the game’s first two power-play opportunities and came up empty. The Senators converted on their first power play.

"Not good enough both on the power play and penalty kill," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Special teams certainly are the difference here tonight."

"We didn't really move well enough and spread them out," forward Jesper Bratt said. "We played a little too tight. We didn't really get off the walls. We kept the puck going a little too much instead of attacking from the middle of the ice. We had some looks to attack. In the third period we had some really good looks and key chances on the power play. We started ramping it up toward the end, but obviously 0-for-5 is something we don't want."

Forward Timo Meier scored the lone goal for the Devils.

Brady Tkachuk (1g-2a) and Dylan Cozens both tallied on the man-advantage for Ottawa. Tim Stutzle (1g-1a) added a late third-period insurance goal and Shane Pinto chipped in an empty-net goal. Goalie Linus Ullmark, who had taken a personal leave of absence from the team, made his first start in 35 days to pick up the win.

The game was 1-1 entering the third period and was 2-1 until the final two minutes of the game.

"I thought we were right there. We were in the hockey game and had some chances," Keefe said. "We could have easily won that game or at least got it to overtime. It's a mistake here or there that they made good on, or a power play that they made good on. That's ultimately the difference, but we played a fine hockey game today."

Here are some observations from the game:

• The Devils thought they had tied the game, and scored on the power play, late in the third period when Connor Brown got the puck into the net. However, after an official review, the goal was waived off. Brown grabbed an airborne puck and was going to place it on the ice near the net when Ullmark knocked the puck into the net with his stick. Since Brown had last touched it with his glove, it was ruled no goal.

Keefe: "As I see it, Connor is making a play to put the puck down and put it into the wide-open empty net and then their goaltender puts it in for him. If the goalie doesn't make a play on the puck and shoot it in the net himself, then Connor puts it in a wide-open net. That's a tough one. That is the rule. The goalie is playing his position. Obviously, we're not going to love the interpretation of that rule because it's an empty-net goal for Brown if the goalie doesn't do what he did. That's a tough bounce to not go our way."

• Exemplary work by Cody Glass, in his first game back from a lower-body injury, to help the Devils earn their first goal. He starts with an offensive zone faceoff win. Then he cuts to the net. After a shot comes through, he battles with Ridly Greig trying to get the rebound. Glass’ stick is tied up but he keeps fighting. He falls to the ice but gets back up to keep fighting. Somehow he outmuscled Greig and Dylan Cozens to retrieve the puck behind the net. Glass then fed the puck to Meier, who rifled it into the vacant cage for the goal. Meier finishes but Glass did 95 percent of the work.

• Defenseman Dougie Hamilton extended his point streak to 10 games and his personal point streak to 11 with an assist on Meier's goal. Hamilton has 11 points (2g-9a) during his 10-game scoring streak. Since being a healthy scratch, Hamilton has pointed in every single game. Prior to the healthy scratch he picked up an assist, so he has recorded points in the last 11 straight games in which he’s played, but it isn’t considered an 11-game streak because of the scratch.

• The Devils had some center shuffling at the morning skate and game-time decisions to make at puck drop as their top three centers were all in jeopardy. Center Jack Hughes was ruled out with a lower-body injury, though he was listed as “day-to-day” and is expected to skate soon. Glass was questionable with a lower-body injury, but managed to skate and play in the game. Meanwhile, captain Nico Hischier missed the morning skate while battling an illness and was a game-time decision. Thankfully, he was able to suit up and play.

Keefe: "I thought Glass was really good again today. Really good in the faceoff dot. First game coming back from being hobbled, an injury to miss last game. Jack's absence today, (Glass) took on a lot of roles and responsibilities and did a nice job."