New Jersey

Avalanche Slip Past Devils 3-2

Francois Beauchemin scored with 1:14 left in the third period, and the Colorado Avalanche handed the New Jersey Devils their fifth straight loss with a 3-2 victory on Thursday night.

Nathan MacKinnon and Rene Bourque also scored for Colorado, and Calvin Pickard had 25 saves. The Avalanche picked up their second straight win for just the fourth time this season.

The Devils avoided a third straight shutout but fell to 1-7-2 in their last 10 games. Taylor Hall and Stefan Noesen scored for New Jersey, and Cory Schneider stopped 19 shots.

Beauchemin broke a tie when he scored off his own rebound for his third goal of the season.

New Jersey trailed 1-0 before Hall scored his 15th of the season 42 seconds into the third. He began the day with eight goals in his last 11 games against Colorado.

Hall's goal ended a scoring drought of 174 minutes, 51 seconds that spanned four games. Ryan Spooner's goal 5:51 into the third period against Boston on Saturday was the last time New Jersey scored before Thursday.

The Avalanche answered 3:23 later when Bourque scored off a turnover in the Devils' zone. New Jersey tied it again at 6:13 when Noesen scored his fifth of the season.

MacKinnon went 15 games without a goal before getting an empty-netter against Carolina on Tuesday, and he made it two straight games with his 14th at 11:11 of the second. 

NO CAPTAIN

New Jersey captain Andy Greene missed his fourth straight game, but did rejoin the team in Colorado. He left the team after the death of his father on Saturday.

Coach John Hynes told reporters at the morning skate that Greene was traveling from Michigan to Colorado during the day and it was Greene's decision if he was ready to play. He was a healthy scratch.

NOTES: New Jersey C Jacob Josefson missed his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Colorado is now 1 for 27 on the power play over 12 games. The Avalanche were 29th in the NHL for power-play success at 13.5 percent coming into Thursday. Detroit is last at 12.6 percent.

UP NEXT

Devils: At Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night.

Avalanche: Host Ottawa on Saturday night.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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