NEWARK, N.J. _ This time, it wasn't so much the Senators' neutral-zone trap as it was their goalie, Craig Anderson.
The Devils figured out how to navigate up ice against the stingy Senators. They limited their blue-line turnovers, kept the puck in the zone and created numerous chances around the crease.
But they still suffered another crucial loss to the Senators, 2-1, on Tuesday night at Prudential Center after dropping a 3-0 decision in Ottawa, Ontario on Thursday.
Anderson, who missed 26 games from Dec. 7-Feb. 9 as he helped care for his wife, Nicolle, in her battle with a rare form of throat cancer, made 29 saves for the Senators (32-20-6), who are threatening to overtake the Canadiens for first place in the Atlantic Division. His last big save came in the final minute as he stopped Travis Zajac's redirection at the crease with the Devils having an extra skater.
The Senators played without forwards Bobby Ryan (broken finger), Mike Hoffman (groin) and Mark Stone (neck).
Cory Schneider made 21 saves for the Devils (25-25-10), who have lost two straight, lost rookie left wing Pavel Zacha midway through the second period, and started the game six points out of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
The Devils' task on Tuesday was simple: Solve the Senators' 1-3-1 defensive alignment which makes navigating through the neutral zone such a slog.
"When you talk about playing against a team that plays that way, you have to have sustained intensity with what you're supposed to do and understand sometimes it's going to work and sometimes it's not," Devils coach John Hynes said. "It's really understanding the opponent, understanding their mindset and how to counter it. It comes to consistency of execution."
On Thursday, it fell apart in the third period as they grew increasingly frustrated with not being able to rush the puck up ice after the Senators took a late second-period one-goal lead.
"You have to understand there's a way to win every game and how to play your opponent," Hynes said. "Our job is to stay mentally focused."
This game, the Devils faced the same scenario, trailing by one entering the third period after Kyle Turris, off the right post, gave the Senators a 1-0 lead just 59 seconds into the second period.
In both games, the Devils fell behind 2-0 in the third period on goals by Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. On Tuesday, it came at 4:11.
This time, though, the Devils finally managed to score. Tommy Wingels flipped the puck over the glass for a delay of game at 5:55 of the third period to give the Devils their first power play. Zajac, seconds after Anderson robbed him on a rebound attempt, scored on the power play at 6:37 to cut the lead to 2-1 and end the Devils' shutout streak against the Senators at 155:47, dating to John Moore's goal at 10:50 of the first period in a 3-1 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 17.
And, in this game, the Devils failed to tie it in the second period despite sustained pressure.
Anderson, seemingly always impeccably positioned, stopped Michael Cammalleri's rebound try at the crease at 13:17, then, at 14:55, Stefan Noesen's one-timer, set up by Cammalleri, trickled wide of the left post.
Cammalleri was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch the previous two games.
The Devils lost Zacha at 9:03 of the second period after he turned his back on Derick Brassard and the ex-Ranger checked him into the side boards.
The start of Tuesday's first period resembled the end of Thursday's third period for the Devils, who did not get a shot on Anderson until 8:02. But the Devils looked increasingly comfortable as the period wore on and forced Anderson into tough saves on Miles Wood, Adam Henrique and Jacob Josefson at the crease in the final four minutes.
