NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Vladislav Kolyachonok scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves as the New Jersey Devils beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Thursday night in the first of a two-game set.
Kolyachonok’s shot trickled past Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson at 6:27. It was the first game in a Devils uniform for the 25-year-old defenseman, who signed in July as a free agent. He was in the lineup in place
of the injured Johnathan Kovacevic.
Evan Rodrigues, Lenni Hameenaho, Stefan Noesen and Jack Hughes also scored for the Devils, who have won seven straight home games. Hellebuyck returned to the ice after the Devils held him out of Tuesday's loss at Winnipeg, the team that traded him to New Jersey last month.
Hellebuyck was booed by Jets fans and said incidents involving his family had prompted his demand to be traded. He has won his first six starts with New Jersey.
The Devils are 12-3-0 in their last 15 games and 9-2-0 overall at Prudential Center.
Ryan Leonard and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored for the Capitals, who had their two-game winning streak stopped. Thompson stopped 24 shots.
Rodrigues opened the scoring on the power play 2:20 into the first. Leonard tied it on the power play later in the period.
Dubois put the Capitals ahead early in the second. Hameenaho knotted the score 2-2 with his first goal this season, deflecting Brendan Dillon's shot past Thompson.
Noesen scored at 17:07 of the third, and Hughes had an empty-netter.
The Devils, who missed the playoffs last season, are second in the Metropolitan Division with 28 points.
The teams play again Saturday in Washington.
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