Devils get 3 power play scores, top Panthers 6-2 to finish sweep of Cup champs

By TIM REYNOLDS

SUNRISE — Jesper Bratt got his 2nd vocation chapeau trick, Stefan Noesen scored doubly and the New Jersey Devils bushed the Florida Panthers 6-2 connected Thursday nighttime to expanse a two-game bid with the Stanley Cup champions.

Jack Hughes had a extremity and 2 assists for the Devils, who besides won 4-1 successful Florida connected Tuesday. Jake Allen stopped 25 shots for New Jersey, which got 3 power-play scores — on with a short-handed empty-netter with 5:12 left, Bratt’s 3rd of the night — and is present 7-2-0 successful its past 9 games.

Sam Reinhart — the archetypal subordinate with 13 goals this play — and Jesper Boqvist scored for Florida, which hadn’t dropped 2 consecutive since Oct. 10 and 12. Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves.

TAKEAWAYS

Devils: New Jersey became the archetypal squad this play to get 2 goals successful the last 12 seconds of periods. Both were power-play tallies; Bratt scored with 2 seconds near successful the first, Noesen with 11 seconds near successful the second.

Panthers: Florida got Sam Bennett back Thursday aft helium missed Tuesday’s crippled with a insignificant upper-body issue. Bennett had an assistance connected Boqvist’s goal.

KEY MOMENT

The Panthers, down 4-2, opened the 3rd play connected a powerfulness play but it was wiped retired 22 seconds aboriginal erstwhile Carter Verhaeghe was called for tripping — 1 of galore calls that Florida wasn’t thrilled astir during the evening.

KEY STAT

The Devils already person 2 games with 3 power-play goals this season. They had 5 successful the past six regular seasons combined.

UP NEXT

The Devils sojourn Tampa Bay connected Saturday and volition effort to spell 3-0-0 successful Florida this season; they haven’t had a cleanable grounds successful the Sunshine State (excluding COVID-affected seasons) since going 4-0-0 astatine Florida and Tampa Bay successful 2000-01.

The Panthers big NHL-leading Winnipeg connected Saturday.