Mercer scores twice, Devils edge Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS -- Dawson Mercer scored twice when the New Jersey Devils defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

Jake Allen saved 23 of 24 shots through two periods for the Devils (2-1-0), including 16 in the first period, but he was replaced by Jacob Markstrom to start the third period because he was cramping. Markstrom made eight saves.

The Devils host the Florida Panthers on Thursday in their home opener after losing to the Carolina Hurricanes then defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Blue Jackets.

“This is a tough start to the season, three games in five nights, all on the road, two home openers, three very good teams,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “You know, three of the best home teams in the NHL historically here, so to come home with four points is good. You'd always want six, but we'll take the four and the lessons learned along the way and enjoy a day off tomorrow and get to work at home.”

Kirill Marchenko scored his fourth goal in two games and Jet Greaves made 25 saves for the Blue Jackets (1-2-0) in the home opener of their 25th anniversary season.

“It's frustrating. The guys, I'm sure, are frustrated already,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “We had a real good opportunity to win this hockey game here tonight. We just didn't finish.

“We've got to stay the course with what we're doing and not push too many panic buttons.”

Mercer and Timo Meier scored power-play goals for the Devils, who entered the game 0-for-6 on the man-advantage. The Blue Jackets have allowed six power-play goals in their past two games after giving up four in a 7-4 win at the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

The Blue Jackets went 0-for-5 on the power play and are 1-for-9 for the season.

“Jake played unbelievable and obviously [Markstrom] at the end,” Meier said. “We saw the maturity of the team and the special teams were very good, awesome.”

Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood did not return after being high-sticked in the face by Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton at 6:08 of the first period. The Devils killed off the double minor.

“Whenever that happens, it gives us momentum overall throughout the game and I think we just built off that,” Mercer said.

Meier made it 1-0 at 15:47 of the first period with one second remaining on the power play. He scored from the right circle after a cross-ice pass from Jack Hughes.

Marchenko tied it 1-1 at 8:49 of the second period, stealing the puck from Hughes high in the Blue Jackets’ end for a breakaway. He had a hat trick against Minnesota on Saturday.

“I like how we played, mentally everybody goes to the battle,” Marchenko said. “Everybody played really good. We just had a little bit of bad luck. We need to think what we can do better … and don't get frustrated.”

Mercer made it 2-1 with a power-play goal at 11:09, one-timing a pass from Arseny Gritsyuk on a 2-on-1 nine seconds after Allen saved a shot by Adam Fantilli on a 3-on-2.

Mercer scored into an empty net at 19:03 of the third period to make it 3-1 before Dmitri Voronkov scored at 19:39 for the 3-2 final.

“Sometimes you play that way and you score four or five in a period. Sometimes you don't score at all. Sometimes it's in between,” Columbus forward Charlie Coyle said. “Those are the signs of good teams, who can kind of weather that and just know that we're playing the right way.”

NOTES: Meier became the second Switzerland-born player in NHL history to score at least 60 power-play goals. Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators has 65. … Devils forward Brian Halonen had two hits in 6:54 in his season debut since a recall from Utica of the American Hockey League on Sunday. He replaced Zack MacEwen on the fourth line. MacEwan was injured Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. … Marchenko is the second player in Blue Jackets history to score four goals in the first three games of a season. Sonny Milano did it in 2017-18. … Jake Christiansen played 7:44 in place of Erik Gudbranson on the Blue Jackets’ third defense pair. Gudbranson sustained an upper-body injury against Minnesota.