Mercer scores 2 as Devils beat Bruins 5-1 to snap four-game skid

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Dawson Mercer scored twice during New Jersey’s four-goal second period, and the Devils beat the Boston Bruins 5-1 on Wednesday night.

Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists, Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist, and Stefan Noesen also scored, and Timo Meier had two assists to help the Devils snap a four-game skid. Jacob Markstrom had six saves before leaving early in the second period after after a collision, and Jake Allen stopped all 16 shots he faced.

Morgan Geekie scored for Boston. Jeremy Swayman had 25 saves through two periods, and Joonas Korpisalo stopped five shots in the third.

BLUE JACKETS 5, MAPLE LEAFS 1

TORONTO (AP) — Adam Fantilli scored three goals for his first career hat trick, Elvis Merzlikins stopped 29 shots, and Columbus beat Toronto.

Luca Del Bel Belluz had a goal and an assist, and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Columbus. The Blue Jackets improved to 7-1-1 in their last nine games and moved into the Eastern Conference’s first wild card spot.

Auston Matthews scored for Toronto, and Dennis Hildeby had 14 saves. The Maple Leafs snapped a three-game winning streak.

JETS 3, AVALANCHE 2, OT

DENVER (AP) — Neal Pionk scored 17 seconds into overtime, and Winnipeg beat Colorado.

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck started the winning play when he sent the puck to Vladislav Namestnikov, who fed Pionk skating down the right side. Pionk’s slap shot beat Mackenzie Blackwood to end Winnipeg’s two-game skid.

Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi also scored for Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck stopped 25 shots.

Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar scored for Colorado, and Blackwood had 22 saves.

Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the second on MacKinnon’s 19th goal of the season, but Barron and Vilardi scored before the second intermission to give the Jets the lead.

Makar tied it at 7:05 of the third when he got behind the Winnipeg defense and sent a shot over Hellebuycky’s left shoulder as he was falling to the ice.

PANTHERS , KINGS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Samuel Helenius and Adrian Kempe scored in the third period, and Los Angeles rallied to beat Florida.

Darcy Kuemper stopped 26 shots for Los Angeles, which was held to two goals or fewer for the seventh time in eight games and snapped a two-game skid.

Evan Rodrigues scored a power-play goal and Spencer Knight made 26 saves for the Panthers, who were coming off a 5-2 win at Anaheim on Tuesday night.

Helenius got his first NHL goal at 6:41 of the third to tie the score. Kempe then scored for the fourth straight game when he tipped in Kevin Fiala’s shot with 6:48 left to put the Kings ahead.