NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Taylor Hall scored twice and the New Jersey Devils ended the Los Angeles Kings' eight-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory Tuesday night.
Travis Zajac, Brian Boyle and Brian Gibbons also scored for the Devils, who snapped a two-game skid. Cory Schneider made 16 saves.
The Kings were beaten for the first time since losing 3-2 in overtime to Arizona on Nov. 24. Their winning streak was the longest in the NHL this season.
It was Los Angeles' first defeat in regulation since a 2-1 loss to Winnipeg on Nov. 22.
Jonathan Quick made 21 saves for the Kings, and Torrey Mitchell's goal with 7:56 left prevented Los Angeles from being shut out for the first time this season.
Entering the first of two regular-season matchups, Los Angeles was 4-2-2 against New Jersey since the 2012 Stanley Cup Final, which the Kings won in six games over the Devils.
Zajac opened the scoring with his second goal of the season at 13:44 of the first period. New Jersey's veteran center drove to the net and had position on Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty before deflecting Brian Gibbons' odd-angled centering pass past Quick.
Just 2:30 later, New Jersey's lead grew to 2-0 on Hall's 10th of the season. With New Jersey on a power play after Mitchell was whistled for tripping Will Butcher, Hall wired a shot from the left faceoff dot. The man-advantage goal was New Jersey's second in December. The Devils had been 1 for 17 on the power play in five games this month.
New Jersey finished this one 1 for 2 with the man advantage, and killed off all three Los Angeles power plays.
Even though the Devils had the lead, the outcome was essentially decided in a span of 1:22 late in the second period.
Hall's second of the game with 4:18 left in the second pushed the advantage to 3-0. Hall slipped a backhand through Quick's legs as the Los Angeles goalie attempted a poke check. Hall had corralled a loose puck in the offensive zone, then split the Los Angeles defense pairing of Doughty and Jake Muzzin before scoring his 11th of the season.
Only 82 seconds later, Boyle scored his sixth of the season on a rocket from the right circle.
Mitchell's long shot from the half wall cut the deficit to 4-1, but Gibbons' breakaway goal with 11 seconds left ending the scoring.
The Kings were outshot 26-17. Coming into the game, they had averaged 32 shots per game to 30 for the Devils.
UP NEXT
Kings: Continue their four-game Northeast swing against the New York Rangers on Friday night.
Devils: Travel to Montreal for a game against the Canadiens on Thursday night.
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