Devils storm back in third period to down Jets

Fabian Zetterlund and Miles Wood snapped lengthy droughts by scoring the tying and go-ahead goals in a span of 1:51 early in the third period for the New Jersey Devils, who went on to beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 Sunday night in Newark, N.J.

Dawson Mercer scored the first goal for the hosts before adding an empty-netter with 55.1 seconds left as the Devils won for the second time in 24 hours. New Jersey beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Saturday.

Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves Sunday.

Cole Perfetti and Neal Pionk scored for the Jets, who have lost the first two games of their four-game Eastern Conference road trip. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck recorded 25 saves.

The teams combined for three goals in a five-shot span over a stretch of 2:12 late in the first period.

A pass by Perfetti sailed behind intended target Mason Appleton and was corralled by Wood, whose pass off the boards eluded the reach of teammate John Marino. Josh Morrissey picked up the puck and passed to Pionk, whose shot glanced off the stick of Mark Scheifele. Perfetti pounced and tucked home the rebound past a sprawling Blackwood with 5:03 left in the first.

The Devils tied the score on the next shift just 19 seconds later. Dylan Samberg got a piece of a pass by Nico Hischier, but Blake Wheeler couldn't grab the puck before it bounced to Mercer, whose shot into the crease squeaked past Hellebuyck.

The Jets went ahead again with 2:51 remaining when Pionk's slapshot beat Blackwood, who was screened by Mercer as well as Appleton.

The Devils tied the score 5:02 into the third after Erik Haula picked the puck off from Jets left winger Kyle Connor behind the Winnipeg net and passed to Zetterlund, whose shot caromed in off both the far post and the top post for his first goal since Dec. 3.

Wood, a fourth-line left winger who played just 4:48 Saturday, scored his second goal since Dec. 15 by taking a no-look, between-the-legs pass from Michael McLeod and beating Hellebuyck from point-blank range.

With Hellebuyck pulled for the extra attacker, Mercer outraced Perfetti to a loose puck and scored the insurance goal as he crashed into the far post.