Music: {allcanada} Depleted Devils defeat Maple Leafs

Thursday, December 4, 2014

{allcanada} Depleted Devils defeat Maple Leafs

Elvis' Christmas Album - Elvis Presley

TORONTO -- The New Jersey Devils knew it was going to take a monumental effort to win Thursday, and that is exactly what they produced.

With seven regulars out of the lineup, the Devils defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 at Air Canada Centre.

Toronto (13-9-3) had a four-game home winning streak end.

New Jersey (10-12-4) played without forward Jaromir Jagr, their top scorer with 15 points, who was knocked out of the game Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins and missed this game with the flu, as did defenseman Adam Larsson.

Also out were forwards Patrik Elias (lower body), Martin Havlat (lower body), Travis Zajac (lower body), Ryane Clowe (head), and defenseman Bryce Salvador (lower body).

New Jersey scored first on a power-play goal by defenseman Eric Gelinas, his third of the season. With Toronto defenseman Cody Franson in the penalty box for interference, Gelinas took a shot from the left point that went through a crowd of players and seemed to dip before beating Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier at 4:53 of the first period.

Toronto right wing Mike Santorelli, who entered the game with seven assists in his past four games, tied it 1-1 at 5:37 of the second period. Left wing Joffrey Lupul carried the puck around the New Jersey net and passed to defenseman Jake Gardiner at the left point. Gardiner slid toward the middle of the ice and passed back to Lupul, who had moved out to the blue line. Lupul took a long shot that Santorelli tipped past Devils goalie Cory Schneider for his fourth goal of the season.

Stephen Gionta restored New Jersey's lead 2:23 later when he got the puck in the slot and slipped a shot between Bernier's legs for his first goal of the season. Gionta injured his foot Tuesday in Pittsburgh and was a game-time decision.

With Franson in the penalty box again, Toronto's Nazem Kadri scored a shorthanded goal to make it 2-2 at 11:14. Kadri broke in on the right wing and took a shot Schneider stopped. The rebound went to New Jersey defenseman Seth Helgeson, but Kadri lifted his stick, took the puck and scored his seventh of the season.

With the Devils on the power play and 21 seconds remaining in a boarding penalty to Lupul, Devils coach Peter DeBoer called a time out. The Devils got the puck off the draw, and after Gelinas shot wide, Mike Cammalleri got the puck off the end boards and snapped it past Bernier at 16:48.

Steve Bernier increased the lead to 4-2 at 6:12 of the third period when he jammed home a rebound for his second of the season. Adam Henrique made it 5-2 with his seventh at 11:58.

Phil Kessel scored a power-play goal at 19:26 with New Jersey's Tuomo Ruutu in the penalty box and Bernier on the bench for an extra attacker.

When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr.