Kovalchuk scores for Kings against Devils in return to New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. -- Ilya Kovalchuk scored in his return to Prudential Center to highlight a four-goal third period for the Los Angeles Kings in a 5-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

Tyler Toffoli scored two goals, Dion Phaneuf and Adrian Kempe scored, and Anze Kopitar had three assists for the Kings (22-27-4), who won consecutive games for the first time since winning four straight Dec. 18-27. Jack Campbell made 29 saves.
It was Kovalchuk's first game in New Jersey since returning to the NHL. He played four seasons for the Devils and helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. He retired from the NHL on July 11, 2013, and after five seasons with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League, signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Kings on July 1.
WATCH: [All Kings vs. Devils highlights]
The 35-year-old was booed each time he touched the puck. He scored on his only shot of the game 17:36 into the third period to give the Kings a 5-1 lead.
"[The reception] isn't something you're expecting, but that's OK," Kovalchuk said. "You know that's their emotions and that's how they react. I was happy when I scored; that's always the best answer."
Kovalchuk has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past five games.
"There are only two guys left (Andy Greene, Travis Zajac) who I played with on the Devils," Kovalchuk said. "The young guys have come in, like [Nico] Hischier; they're a skilled group. This is not their year, but they have a bright future."
Pavel Zacha scored, and Keith Kinkaid made 20 saves for the Devils (20-25-7), who have lost five of their past seven games.
Toffoli scored a power-play goal 32 seconds into the third off a one-timer from the high slot to make it 2-1, and an even-strength goal 35 seconds later off a pass from Michael Amadio for a 3-1 lead.

"We got that power play to start the third and that was huge," Toffoli said. "The plan was getting the puck to the net and Kopitar found me in the slot and it kind of kept rolling from there."
Phaneuf scored his first goal of the season off a slap shot from the point at 1:52 to make it 4-1 and end a 67-game goal drought dating to Feb. 20, 2018.
Zacha scored his NHL career-high ninth goal of the season off snap shot at the left post after taking backhand pass from Jesper Bratt 3:31 into the second period to tie it 1-1.
"For whatever reason, it unraveled," Greene said. "We actually played pretty well in the first two periods. We were doing a lot of good things but we weren't getting rewarded for it. They get that one, then the third and fourth. We've got to be way stingier and make sure they don't get those."

Kempe scored his third goal in two games off a wrist shot from between the face-off circles 6:21 into the first period to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.
Campbell, who got his first win since Jan. 17, was making his first NHL start against the Devils.
"I can't believe people booed [Kovalchuk] because he's the nicest guy in the world," Campbell said. "But to see the game he had, it takes a lot of mental toughness. It just shows his character. We all love him, and I was happy he was able to score. Most importantly, we won the game so I know he's most happy about that."

They said it

"I think [Kovalchuk] loved the reaction from the fans. He doesn't care what anyone says about him. He's such a good teammate and I think all the guys in the room were very happy with him scoring at the end of the game. I think he knew he was either going to get a very good reception or the one he got. He went out there and played his game, and for him to put that one in at the end of the game was fun for all of us." -- Kings forward Tyler Toffoli

"Whenever there's that kind of emotion it's good and bad. If you have that kind of energy for one person that means he's done something. He had a great career here and the fans, maybe they're upset with him, but they still have a lot of emotion for him, which is a good thing." -- Kings coach Willie Desjardins
"It seems like we put together a good game here and there. It's not like we're not working hard because they're mental mistakes. It just seems when that happens we're getting busted for it. We compound one mistake into two or three." -- Devils defenseman Andy Greene

Need to know

Kopitar has nine points (three goals, six assists) in a five-game point streak. ... Kings forward Jeff Carter (lower body) is day-to-day. … Zajac moved into a sixth-place tie with Scott Niedermeyer for games played with the Devils (892). John MacLean ranks fifth (934).
What's next
Kings:At the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, FS-W, NHL.TV)
Devils: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, MSG+, NHL.TV)