Dawson Mercer’s 2 short-handed targets spark Devils in win over Kings

Dawson Mercer scored a pair of short-handed targets for the visiting New Jersey Devils, who by no means trailed in a 4-1 win over the host Los Angeles Kings on Saturday evening.

Jacob Markstrom made 43 saves for the Devils in his first begin since signing a contract extension Friday.

Nico Hischier scored early within the first interval for the Devils, who snapped a two-game shedding streak. Brian Halonen then collected his first NHL objective within the second.

Andrei Kuzmenko ended Markstrom’s shutout bid simply simply earlier than the halfway level of the third for the Kings, whose level streak ended at seven video games (4-0-3). Goalie Darcy Kuemper recorded 18 saves.

Hischier opened the scoring following a Kings turnover simply 1:22 into the primary. Defenseman Joel Edmundson’s go from behind the Devils acquired previous teammate Kevin Fiala and went to Luke Hughes. Hischier and Edmundson crossed in entrance of Kuemper as Hughes’ shot glanced off Hischier’s stick and fluttered previous Kuemper.

The Devils doubled the lead early within the second interval. Dennis Cholowski’s go from the New Jersey zone glanced off the aspect boards within the impartial zone and to Luke Glendening, who fed Halonen on the fringe of the fitting faceoff circle. Halonen, taking part in in his twelfth profession recreation, collected his milestone objective by angling a shot over Kuemper’s stick shoulder on the 3:12 mark.

Mercer put the Devils forward 3-0 by scoring a short-handed objective 3:09 into the third. Mercer outraced Brandt Clarke to a unfastened puck within the impartial zone, skated up the left aspect of the ice and deked a go to Hischier earlier than firing a shot over Kuemper’s glove.

Kuzmenko scored 9:49 into the third interval when he took Anze Kopitar’s backhanded go from behind the online and flicked a shot over Markstrom’s glove from point-blank vary.

With Kuemper pulled for the additional attacker, Mercer scored a length-of-the-ice empty-netter with 3:48 remaining.

–Subject Stage Media