Devils Snap Five Game Skid, Beat Sens 4-3

Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

The New Jersey Devils found themselves outside the playoff picture and one point out of last place in the Metropolitan Division following a disastrous five-game losing streak. A five-game stretch that saw them score only seven goals in 15 periods. Not a pretty trend for a team looking to survive the absence of Jack Hughes.

While it was not pretty by any means, the Devils' sense of urgency prevailed in a tight matchup with the Senators. However, the Devils conceded the first goal of the game off the stick of Drake Batherson, the first of three Senators power-play goals in the contest, just under two minutes into the game.

The Devils would answer right back just a few minutes later on a pretty passing play by Connor Brown, who found Simon Nemec for a shot from the slot to tie the game at 1-1. The Senators would beat Markstrom again with Batherson's thought to be the second goal of the period; however, it was waved off for a kicking motion. The Senators would receive another power play in the first frame, and Tim Stutzle would beat Markstrom five-hole to regain the Ottawa lead. A goal that Markstrom would surely love to have back.

The Devils' third line and Connor Brown would go right back to work as he set up Arseny Gritsyuk in front of Linus Ullmark to tie the game once again, 2-2, to close out the first period. The Devils' two-goal first period doubled their goal total from the previous three games.

Paul Cotter was sprung free on a breakaway early in the second period, and he made good on his opportunity, beating Ullmark with a slick move to give the Devils their first lead in more than a week. The Sens would later tie it with Batherson's second power-play goal of the game to notch the score at 3-3 entering the third.

Cody Glass scored the game-winning goal late in the third period from Gritsyuk and Brown; it was a three-point night for each. Markstrom was very strong down the stretch despite the Senators' push to tie. The Devils stopped the bleeding and snapped the losing streak. A much-needed two points for the club.

The storyline of the game is the third line's heroics and depth scoring. None of the big guns found the back of the net, and the Devils were able to win a game.

The Devils will head back home on Thursday night, where the Tampa Bay Lightning will be waiting for them. We'll see if this game is enough to give them a confidence boost.