Devils Withstand Avalanche Assault for Win  | GAME STORY

NEWARK, NJ - John Marino played the hero, scoring the game-winning goal with 2:19 remaining, as New Jersey defeated visiting Colorado, 5-3, at the Prudential Center Tuesday night.

Marino was in the slot when captain Nico Hischier gave him a pass that he was able to bury for winner.

"It was a fortunate bounce," Marino said. "It hit a skate, (Jesper Bratt) and Nico made a great pass. I was lucky enough to put it in."

The Devils squandered a 3-1 lead in the third period before Marino’s goal put the club back on top for good.

"Our message was to continue to play the way we were playing. We really liked our game," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "I thought we found our game again right away." 

Chris Tierney, Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer also tallied for New Jersey. New father Erik Haula added an empty-netter to cap it off.

"Overall, I thought we had a great game," Mercer said. "We stuck with it. We wanted to get those two points. Those are huge at this time of year."

Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar and Samuel Girard scored for Colorado.

Here are some observations from the game:

• One star of the night for the Devils was goaltender Vitek Vanecek. He made two bang, bang saves in the opening minute against Nathan MacKinnon and Rantanen within seconds of each other. That set the tone. He made spectacular stops on Cale Makar and Rantanen in the third period to keep the Avalanche at bay. Vanecek's save on Nathan MacKinnon's breakaway with under three minutes to play was the difference in the game as the Devils would score the game-winner seconds later. He finished with 35 saves on the night.

"You can just sum the night up with that (MacKinnon) save," Ruff said. "You need a big save. MacKinnon is the one guy that can create his own opportunities.

"V did one hell of a job of making the save and giving us an opportunity to win that hockey game."

• A big turning point in the game occurred in the opening minute of the second period. The Avalanche’s Josh Manson scored to give Colorado a 2-1 lead. However, the Devils challenged the goal for goaltender interference. On the play, Logan O’Connor was driving to the net and knocked Vanecek to the side of the net, creating the wide-open net at which for Manson to shoot. The referees agreed with New Jersey and the goal was waved off. The Devils would score the next goal goals in the period to take a 3-1 lead.

• Tierney played his 28^th game of the season for the Devils. And he picked up his first goal as a Devil. And what a big goal it was. Tierney tipped a shot by Simon Nemec that bounced its way into the net. The goal came 42 seconds after the Devils surrendered the opening goal.

• Bratt extended his scoring streak to five games (four goals, five points) with his 20^th goal of the season. It all started on a play by Ondrej Palat, who had to retreat along the wall to get a puck in his own zone. A Colorado defenseman pinched on Palat, who was able to get off a pass to spring a 2-on-1. Nico Hischier and Bratt played pitch and catch before Bratt buried his shot.

Bratt now has three straight 20-goal seasons.

"He's been our most consistent player," Ruff said. "Night in, night out, he's been a guy that we're counting on for offense."

• Mercer picked up his first goal in nine games. He made a play from his knees to get the puck to Erik Haula, who took a shot. The puck sat loose at the pads of goalie Justus Annunen. Mercer leaped to his feet and dove to poke the puck over the goal line for his 14^th of the season.

• Colin Miller clocked a shot in the first period at 105.3 MPH. That's the hardest shot in the entire NHL this season.

• Forward Tomas Nosek returned after nearly three months of missing action from a broken foot. It was just his seventh game of the season. But it was a helpful return as the Devils lost forward Tyler Toffoli right before the game started due to an illness.

"It was fun," Nosek said. "We won the game and that's the most important."

• The Devils snapped MacKinnon's 14-game scoring streak.