NEWARK, N.J. — Center Ryan Spooner scored his first goal of the season at 2:46 of overtime to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night at the Prudential Center.
Goaltender Niklas Svedberg stopped 29 shots for the Bruins. He was filling in for Tuukka Rask, who had played in 18 straight games, starting 16 of them. Rask was scratched because of illness.
Goalie Cory Schneider made 28 saves for the Devils.
The Devils (25-28-9) skated in their first game without right winger Jaromir Jagr, who was traded to Florida on Thursday for a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2016 draft.
Boston (30-22-9) received goals from right winger David Pastrnak and left winger Daniel Paille.
The Bruins are holding on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. The Devils trail them by nine points.
New Jersey struck for two quick goals in the third period to tie it at 2. Right winger Jordin Tootoo scored at 8:06 on a feed from left winger Mike Cammalleri, who picked off an attempted clear from Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
Center Travis Zajac registered his ninth goal of the season, a snap shot from the right circle on the power play, at 5:57. He was assisted by center Adam Henrique and center Jacob Josefson.
Pastrnak gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead with his seventh goal of the season at 1:40 of the third period. Right winger Reilly Smith and Paille were credited with assists.
Svedberg stopped 12 shots in a scoreless second period.
The Bruins’ first-period goal was set up by one of four New Jersey turnovers in the period. Defenseman Adam Larsson failed to clear the puck deep in the Devils’ zone and Bruins right winger Loui Eriksson intercepted it. He slipped it to an open Paille in front of the net, who fired a one-timer for his third goal of the season and second in as many games at 8:39.
The Devils took one shot in the first minute of the game, then could only manage three en route to being outshot 12-4.
NOTES: The Bruins recalled G Jeremy Smith from Providence of the American Hockey League to back up G Niklas Svedberg. … Boston C David Krejci missed his third game with a partially torn MCL in his left knee. … The Devils closed out a season-high six-game homestand. … New Jersey played the 15th of 18th sets of back-to-back games. It plays at Columbus on Saturday. … Devils’ LW Martin Havlat skated in his first game since Feb. 14th. He was a healthy scratch in the last five games. … Devils D Mark Fraser skated in his 200th game.
Lightning 4, Blackhawks 0
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning played their first home game in two weeks Friday night, making a resounding statement with a 4-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Amalie Arena for the team’s second shutout of the season.
The Lightning (38-19-6) got superb play in goal from Ben Bishop, who had made 17 of his 25 saves before Tampa Bay broke a scoreless tie midway through the second period.
Chicago (37-21-5) was shut out for the sixth time this season.
All four Lightning goals were highlight-reel plays, including center Valtteri Filppula sending a perfect pass to the stick of right winger Ryan Callahan on the far side of the net for his 19th goal of the season early in the third period to make it 3-0. Center Steven Stamkos scored twice, including the final goal on a power play with 2:42 left in the game for his 34th goal of the season.
The Lightning had gone 3-2 on a five-game road trip, and Friday’s win in their return home was their third in four games.
The Lightning’s fourth line broke through for the game’s first goal when rookie left winger Jonathan Drouin saw the puck bounce off the back of the goal and made a behind-the-back backhand pass to center Brian Boyle, who flicked in a quick goal for a 1-0 lead with 11:33 left in the period.
The Lightning extended that lead late in the second when Stamkos redirected a long shot from defenseman Jason Garrison for his 33rd goal of the season.