Devils hang on for win against Canucks

NEWARK, N.J. --Defenseman Ben Lovejoy scored the decisive goal, his first as a member of the New Jersey Devils, in the second period in a 3-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Prudential Center on Tuesday.
Kyle Palmieri scored, Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist and Cory Schneider made 22 saves for the Devils (12-7-6), who remain the only team in the NHL that hasn't lost a home game in regulation this season (8-0-2).
Lovejoy scored off a slap shot from the right point 11:09 into the second to give New Jersey a 3-1 lead.

WATCH: All Canucks vs. Devils highlights
"It's the best [to score goals] and I'd gladly trade positions with Hall or [Michael] Cammalleri or [Kyle] Palmieri," Lovejoy said. "I would love to score 30 goals but I've never had that in my game. I block shots, hit people and try to play good defense for a living.
"[Defense] is an awesome job but scoring is the best. I wish I did it way more often."
Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin scored and Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves for the Canucks (11-13-2), who played the first of a five-game road trip.
Canucks defenseman Philip Larsen had to be removed from the ice on a stretcher 5:35 into the second after taking a hit from Hall behind the Vancouver net.
"From what I've been told he's moving his extremities, is awake and responding," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. "I think it was a tough hit for us but we stayed together as a team."
Said Hall: "I tried to keep all my extremities in close and I wanted just to make contact chest-to-chest. Sometimes it doesn't work out like that. All I'm hoping for is that he's alright."
Henrik Sedin scored 3:58 into the third period off a wrist shot in the right circle that beat Schneider just under the crossbar to pull the Canucks within 3-2.

Palmieri and Lovejoy scored in a span of 4:01 in the second to give the Devils a 3-1 lead. Palmieri got a power-play goal, his first goal in nine games, at 7:08.
Lovejoy, who signed a three-year contract with New Jersey after winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, got his first goal in 25 games with the Devils.
Daniel Sedin tied it 1-1 with the Canucks on a 5-on-3 power play 1:10 into the second.
Hall gave the Devils a 1-0 lead 3:42 into the first on a wrist shot from between the circles.
Travis Zajac sustained a broken nose with 31 seconds left in the first when he crashed face-first into the boards. He returned with a full face shield seven minutes into the second.
"I have a ton of respect for [Zajac] as a player and person," Lovejoy said. "For him to take a hit like that and then come back so quickly and still make an impact was very impressive."

Goal of the game

Zajac, who returned to the game after sustaining a broken nose in the first, got the primary assist and Palmieri provided a screen on Lovejoy's first goal with New Jersey.

Save of the game

Schneider made a glove stop against forward Jack Skille off a wrist shot from the right circle 2:27 into the second to keep the game tied 1-1.

Highlight of the game

Markstrom made a great poke check on a breakaway attempt by forward Miles Wood 10:27 into the third to keep Vancouver within 3-2.

They said it

"I thought [Hall's hit on Larsen] did change the tide of the game a little bit. It's never fun to see someone go down like that, especially a teammate. I thought it took away a little bit from us, but we're just hoping he's OK." -- Canucks forward Henrik Sedin
"I'm looking to make contact [on Larsen] but never do I want to see a guy lying on the ice like that. I only know how to play the game one way, and you got to play it hard. I feel terrible. He's a former teammate of mine [in Edmonton] and I just would have loved to make a hit there and continue to play. I hope he's alright." -- Devils forward Taylor Hall

Need to know

Desjardins said he would assume Larsen would remain in New Jersey the rest of the night. Daniel and Henrik Sedin combined for two goals, three points and three shots. ... Hall has two goals and five points in the past two games. ... Zajac had an assist, one shot, and went 5-for-9 on faceoffs when he returned to the game in the second period.

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What's next

Canucks: At the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; SUN, SNV, NHL.TV)
Devils: At the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; SN360, RDS, MSG+ 2, NHL.TV)