BOSTON (AP) — Ryan Spooner scored the lone shootout goal and Jonas Gustavsson made 29 saves to lift the Boston Bruins over the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Sunday.
Loui Eriksson had a goal in the first period for Boston, which improved to 11-1-3 in its last 15 games and pulled within one point of first-place Montreal in the Atlantic Division.
Andy Greene scored in the second for the Devils, who have managed only five goals in the last five games. They’ve dropped three straight and four of five.
Spooner scored over the right shoulder of goalie Cory Schneider on the Bruins’ first attempt. Schneider made 38 saves but is winless in his last four starts against Boston.
Torey Krug, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci all had great opportunities to score in overtime but were stymied by Schneider as the Devils were outshot 9-2. Boston missed its best chance when Bergeron’s shot hit the side of a wide-open net.
Gustavsson kept the Bruins in it in overtime by foiling a 2-on-1 for Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac with 3:17 remaining with a pad save after Zdeno Chara had fallen down.
Eriksson converted a perfect feed from Krejci to beat Schneider at 6:15 of the first period.
Greene tied it when he redirected a pass from Lee Stempniak past Gustavsson at 1:51 of the second.
The Devils dominated the second period with 13 shots but only mustered the one goal.
NOTES: Bruins center David Pastrnak was sent to Providence of the AHL for a conditioning assignment after missing the past 21 games with a foot injury. . Kyle Palmieri snapped a Devils streak of five straight periods without taking a penalty when he received a double-minor for roughing in the second. . Boston has won 16 of the last 19 matchups against New Jersey. . Devils forward Sergey Kalinin had to be helped off the ice late in the third period and did not return. . Boston has killed off 49 of its last 52 short-handed situations over the last 15 games.
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