New Jersey Devils vs New York Islanders Match Player Stats On Jan 02, 2020

Nico Hischier scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves and the visiting New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 on Thursday night in Uniondale, N.Y.

P.K. Subban also scored for the Devils, who have won three straight games for the first time this season and are 6-2-1 over their past nine games.

Brock Nelson scored, and Semyon Varlamov made 29 saves for New York, which had won two straight, both on the road at Minnesota and Washington. New York fell to 0-3-1 in its past four home games as it faced New Jersey for the first time this season.

The Devils were without rookie forward Jack Hughes, who sustained an upper-body injury during a win against Boston on Tuesday.

Hischier gave the Devils their 2-1 lead 69 seconds into the third period. Following a faceoff to the left of Varlamov, he controlled the puck off the side boards, drove the net and slid the puck home after eluding the New York goalie.

Hischier has a four-game point streak (three goals, three assists).

Varlamov was starting his third straight game for the first time this season.

The Islanders took a 1-0 lead at 7:33 of the second period during 4-on-4 play when Nelson entered the zone on the rush. He used defenseman Andy Greene for a screen and beat Blackwood with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle for his second goal in two games and 15th of the season.

Subban tied it with a one-timer from the point with 87 seconds left in the second period off a pass from Nikita Gusev.

Both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play.

--Field Level Media