NEWARK (Reuters) - Swedish goalie Johan Hedberg helped the red-hot New Jersey Devils post their sixth successive victory with a 1-0 shutout of the New York Rangers on Friday.
Hedberg, unbeaten since taking over in goal for the injured Martin Brodeur on February 6, made 16 saves while Ilya Kovalchuk got the game's only goal to extend his season-high point streak to nine games.
New Jersey's winger converted a wrister at 8:18 in the second period to continue his strong form and run his team-best goal total to 21, triggering admiring chants from his home crowd.
"I'm feeling confident," Kovalchuk told reporters, having joined the Devils in a trade from Atlanta just over a year ago.
"The coach trusts me a lot. When you feel that kind of positive thing from behind bench, it gives you a lot of energy and you want to work really hard."
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 shots for the Rangers (31-25), who lost for the seventh time in the last nine games but still hold the seventh playoff seed in the NHL's Eastern Conference.
Ryan Callahan hit the post with a shot early in the third that would have tied the game for New York but they fell for a second straight time to New Jersey.
The streaking Devils (24-30) are trying to make a run at the post-season but are 12 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
New Jersey is 14-1-2 in their last 17 games and have recently activated Brodeur to return to the ice from a right knee sprain.
In the meantime, Hedberg earned his fifth straight win and second shutout of the season.
"This is as good as a defensive effort that I ever had in the NHL," Hedberg said. "I can't remember a game where I had to make as few saves.
"It was a tremendous job and great team effort. I didn't really have to do too much tonight."
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in LA; Editing by Alastair Himmer)
