NEWARK, N.J. — Cory Schneider made 39 saves, Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist, and the Devils beat the Blackhawks 4-1 on Saturday night.
Brian Boyle, Kyle Palmieri and Pavel Zacha also scored as the Devils improved to 5-0-1 in their past six games and 21-9-5 overall after finishing last in the Eastern Conference last season.
New Jersey has been piling up points on home ice. The Devils are 4-0 on their six-game home stand, the longest of the season. The four straight victories make New Jersey’s longest streak of the season.
Schneider was at his best in the second, when he stopped 21 shots.
Patrick Kane got his 300th goal for Chicago to join Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Steve Larmer and Denis Savard as players to reach that milestone as Blackhawks.
Boyle, Palmieri and Zacha got first-period goals as the Devils chased Corey Crawford for the second time this season. Crawford had a 2.18 goals-against average entering the game but was lifted after giving up three goals on seven shots. He surrendered six goals through two periods in the Devils’ 7-5 win in Chicago on Nov. 12.
Boyle got it started with a floater from the left point at 2:48. It was the former Lightning forward’s fourth goal in the past four games and 10th this season. Boyle, who is being treated for blood and bone marrow cancer, was not on the Devils’ bench to begin the final period. The team said only he was held out for precautionary reasons.
Game highlights: Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist before leaving the game after blocking a shot late in the third period of the host Oilers’ 4-1 victory over the Canadiens. Coach Todd McLellan said X-rays were negative and the Oilers expected McDavid to play Wednesday in Winnipeg.
•John Gibson stopped 29 shots for his first shutout of the season and the Ducks beat the sloppy host Penguins 4-0. The Penguins have lost five of seven to slip toward the bottom of the congested Metropolitan Division. Their quest to become the first franchise in more than 30 years to win three straight Stanley Cups is on rocky ground as the season’s midpoint approaches thanks in large part to flat starts and an inability to play with any consistency.
•Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist in his first game back after missing six with a concussion and the Maple Leafs beat the host Rangers 3-2.
•Justin Faulk scored two goals, Teuvo Teravainen had three assists and the host Hurricanes beat the Sabres 4-2 to get within three points of a playoff spot. Carolina has won five of its past six games and has points in seven of the past nine.
•James Reimer made 38 saves for his first shutout this season, Jonathan Huberdeau scored in the second period and the host Panthers beat the Senators 1-0.
•Pierre-Luc DuBois’ first NHL shootout goal lifted the host Blue Jackets to a 2-1 win over the Flyers.
•Patrice Bergeron scored twice in the third period and Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists for the host Bruins in a 3-1 win over the Red Wings. Boston has won 13 of 17 since it had a four-game losing streak last month.
•Rookie Mathew Barzal scored three times, Jaroslav Halak made 38 saves and the host Islanders beat the Jets 5-2.