Music: {allcanada} Cammalleri, Schneider lead Devils past Senators

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

{allcanada} Cammalleri, Schneider lead Devils past Senators

NEWARK, N.J. -- Mike Cammalleri scored his NHL-leading seventh game-winning goal and goaltender Cory Schneider made 19 saves in his NHL-leading 44th start to gthe New Jersey Devils to a 2-1 victory against the Ottawa Senators at Prudential Center on Tuesday.

Cammalleri gave the Devils their first lead when he controlled a pass from Jaromir Jagr at the right hash mark before scoring his team-leading 17th goal of the season into the top left corner past Ottawa goalie Robin Lehner.

Adam Henrique also scored for the Devils (20-22-9).

The assist by Jagr gave him 1,067 assists for his career, moving him within 12 of current Devils co-coach Adam Oates (1,079) for sixth on the all-time list. He also has 1,782 points and trails Ron Francis (1,798 points) by 16 points for fourth on the all-time list.

Schneider had eight saves in the third. His best sequence came off a rip from defenseman Erik Karlsson and the subsequent rebound down low by Milan Michalek with three minutes remaining in regulation. He also made a huge stop against Clarke MacArthur from the slot when the Senators had pulled Lehner for the extra attacker. Bobby Ryan had the puck on his stick to Schneider's right off a pass from Kyle Turris, but couldn't tee-up the shot as time expired.

The Senators took a 1-0 lead midway through the second when Curtis Lazar stole the puck at center ice, broke in 1-on-1 against Schneider and pushed a backhand attempt into the right corner at 10:33. The goal came more than three minutes after Devils center Jacob Josefsen was denied off a 2-on-1 with Tuomo Ruutu by a sprawling Lehner at the right post.

Curtis Lazar scored for the Senators (20-20-9) and Lehner finished with 17 saves in his third straight start.

The goal by Lazar was his second of the season and first since helping lead Canada to the gold medal as captain at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship on Jan. 5.

"I'm a lot more confident out there [after playing in the World Junior Championship], holding onto pucks but I've got to keep shooting more because that's what the coaching staff and management wants to see from me," Lazar said before the game. "I'm not frustrated with my play. I'm in the NHL; I just need to work, be a professional and put in the work each day."

Henrique scored his first goal in 13 games 1:34 after Lazar's goal on a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle over the far shoulder of a surprised Lehner. Henrique almost gave the Devils their first lead at 15:54 when he stole a pass attempt by Senators captain Erik Karlsson but stopped on a breakaway by Lehner.

Schneider came up big with 47 seconds remaining in the second period when he kicked away a snap shot attempt by Kyle Turris to keep the game tied at 1-1.

The Devils, who have won four of the past five games (4-0-1), close out a five-game homestand against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday before traveling to Bell Centre to play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

The Senators, who have lost two of the past three games, return home to Canadian Tire Centre for games against the Washington Capitals on Thursday and Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Defenseman Chris Phillips, who has spent his entire career with the Senators since being selected No. 1 in 1996 NHL Draft, will become the all-time leader in games played with the team on Thursday. The 36-year-old defenseman is currently tied with Daniel Alfredsson (1,178) in games played.