NEWARK, N.J. _ The Devils have had some forgettable second periods in recent history, but Monday night at Prudential Center was a wild second period that defined the game.
The Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks combined for eight goals in a span of 20 minutes, with the home team scoring five of them as Chicago goalie Cam Ward slammed his stick in frustration. One period later the Devils had scored a season-high eight goals in an 8-5 win.
The rebuilding Blackhawks dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen, but it made little difference. The defensive structure was a mess from start-to-finish in an exceptionally sloppy contest.
A total of 13 players made the scoring sheet for the Devils and six different players scored goals, including Kevin Rooney, who scored his first NHL goal at 17:58 in the third to give New Jersey a 6-1 lead. Kyle Palmieri and Blake Coleman scored twice, and Travis Zajac, Sami Vatanen and Brett Seney also had goals.
The Blackhawks answered back with Patrick Kane and Brent Seabrook scoring in the last two minutes of the period to close the gap. Kane scored twice and had two assists for a four-point night. Dominik Kahun scored in the third period and Brandon Saad scored with 1:30 left in the game.
The Blackhawks came close with the extra attacker, but Coleman scored an empty net goal to put the game away.
Ward was finally replaced by Collin Delia in the third period, but the damage had already been done. He stopped 19 of 25 shots faced. Delia allowed one goal on 15 shots.
Mackenzie Blackwood didn't exactly have a banner night in net for the Devils, allowing five goals on 32 shots (27 saves), matching his season-worst number.
Kane tied the game at 1 with a power play goal 3:07 into the second but it took Palmieri less than two minutes to put the Devils ahead for good and from there they were off to the races. He was credited with a power play goal at 8:27 to extend his team-high total to 22 goals this season.
Zajac cleaned up a rebound from a Miles Wood shot at 10:07 to make 4-1, Vatanen scored a power play goal to make it 5-1.
In the third period, Seney scored on his former Merrimack College teammate Delia to complete the Devils' metaphorical touchdown. Kahun got one back for the Blackhawks but the mountain was still too steep to climb.
With all of the scoring, it's easy to overlook the first goal of the game, a breakaway that may very have broken Ward.
A pass was broken up and sent up along the wall, where Coleman was easily able to it as he was sprung from the box. He blitzed down to the offensive zone and got Ward to jump out the net, allowing him a target the size of Texas. Coleman's breakaway gave the Devils a 1-0 lead.
The Devils might be toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and while these two teams came into the game with 41 points each, it's clear New Jersey is still a world away from being in the same realm as the Blackhawks.
