Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Scott Clemmensen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season as the New Jersey Devils edged the Boston Bruins, 1-0, in a battle of division leaders at Prudential Center.
Bryce Salvador scored the lone goal of the game on an assist from John Madden for the Devils, who have won three straight.
It was Clemmensen's second straight shutout as he posted 27 saves in a 3-0 win against the Rangers this past Monday.
"I felt good out their tonight", said Clemmensen. "We've been a very good, solid team all year long. We're trying to make that push to get to the top and we have to beat teams like this to get there."
Tim Thomas made 17 saves in the loss for the Bruins, who have dropped three straight for the first time since mid-October.
Boston is currently first in the Northeast Division, Eastern Conference and overall in the NHL with 85 points while the Devils hold a comfortable lead for first place in the Atlantic Division with 73.
Clemmensen was called upon to make 10 saves compared to just five by Thomas over the opening 20 minutes.
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New Jersey almost took the lead while shorthanded about four minutes into the second as Paul Martin was fed the puck all alone in the slot, but his backhander was stopped by Thomas.
The Devils, though, did take a 1-0 lead 10:54 into the middle frame. Madden won a right circle faceoff and got the puck back to Salvador, who snapped a low wrister on net from the high slot that slipped past the stick of Thomas.
"That was the easiest shot of the night for me to stop and I just missed it," said Thomas. "It was just one of those things where all the hard shots I saved, but just kind of blanked on that one."
Clemmensen stopped 13 shots in the second period to keep the Bruins off the board.
The Bruins were able to manage just eight shots in the final frame as the Devils locked down their own zone to preserve the victory.
