Nick Cousins scored two goals and the Florida Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Tuesday night in Newark, N.J., for their sixth consecutive win.
Florida spoiled the debut of interim New Jersey coach Travis Green, who replaced Lindy Ruff on Monday.
Matthew Tkachuk had three assists for the Panthers, who have won 16 of their past 18 games after sweeping back-to-back road contests against the New York Rangers and the Devils. Evan Rodrigues, Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart also scored for Florida, and Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves.
Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist and Timo Meier scored in his third straight game for the Devils, who have lost three straight and six of eight. Colin Miller added a goal, Jesper Bratt had two assists, and Akira Schmid made 26 saves.
Miller pulled the Devils within 4-3 at 11:16 of the third period, scoring on a wrist shot through traffic from the point.
Stolarz made a strong save on Tyler Toffoli in the slot with 45 seconds remaining during six-on-five play, and Reinhart scored into an empty net — his 45th goal — with eight seconds left for the 5-3 final.
Cousins gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead 2:54 of the first period. Tkachuk poked a loose puck ahead to Cousins at the blue line, and Cousins scored on a backhand shot from the right circle.
Rodrigues made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 6:30 of the first, scoring on a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Tkachuk.
Hughes got the Devils within 2-1 during a power play at 11:45 of the opening period. His wrist shot from the left point deflected in off the stick of Florida’s Gustav Forsling.
Meier tied the score 2-2 at 11:01 of the second when he poked a loose puck home during a scramble in front of Stolarz.
Luostarinen broke the tie just 1:36 later when he entered the zone off a long pass from Dmitry Kulikov, cut to the slot and beat Schmid with a wrist shot to make it 3-2 Panthers at 12:37 of the second.
Cousins increased the lead to 4-2 at 5:33 of the third period when he deflected Forsling’s shot from along the left boards past Schmid.
–Field Level Media
