Devils Can't Hold Lead, Fall to Flames | GAME STORY

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils had a 3-1 lead heading into the third period, but Calgary potted four third-period goals in a dramatic come-from-behind 5-3 win at Prudential Center on Thursday night.

The Devils built their lead on goals by Nico Hischier, Erik Haula and Paul Cotter.

Matt Coronato scored a goal for Calgary in the second period. Then the Flames posted third-period goals from Connor Zary, Daniil Miromanov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri.

“It’s normal in a game, if a team is down, they’re going to have a push,” Hischier said. “We have the wrong mindset. We have to embrace their push and be ready for it. I think we’re a bit too scared out there to make mistakes. If you have that mindset, that’s when mistakes happen.”

The Devils still had a 3-2 lead with less than five minutes left in regulation. Miromanov (4:20 left) and Huberdeau (3:20 left) scored two late tallies a minute apart to flip the script.

The Devils played on their heels for the entire third period. It was reminiscent of their 2-1 victory in Columbus on Monday night, though great goaltending by Jake Allen bailed them out of that game as he stopped 23 of 24 third-period shots.

The Devils were similarly outgunned in the third period against Calgary, but this time the team couldn’t hold on for the W.

“We’ve talked enough about it. We know how the Columbus game finished," defenseman Brenden Dillon said. "I’m speechless. We’re up two. We have to be confident in that situation. We want to be a good team. We’re going to be a good team hopefully through the last (few games) going into the playoffs. Every goal is self-inflicted stuff.

“Our mindset has to be that we’re going to out-compete that team for the entire 60 minutes.”

Here are some observations from the game:

• The Devils had a chance to really cement the game. Trailing 3-2 in the third period, the Devils were on the PK when Dawson Mercer went in on a breakaway. He made a nice move and nearly scored. Mercer tried to follow up on his own rebound but his momentum carried him away from the puck. A goal there could have solidified a victory.

• There was no love lost between these two clubs. In the last outing in Alberta, Ryan Lomberg knocked Nathan Bastian out of the lineup for five weeks after breaking his jaw in a fight.

The Devils didn’t forget. They came with some early physicality. Brenden Dillon threw a hit in the opening minutes. Timo Meier was assessed a boarding penalty on a big hit on Joel Hanley. Both teams ramped up the physical play throughout the whole game.

• Hischier picked up his 29^th goal of the season late in the first period to give the Devils a 1-0 lead. The Devils captain made wraparound shot. The puck ended up sitting on top of the left pad leg of goalie Dustin Wolf. Timo Meier picked up a proverbial assist when he jammed at the leg pad and the momentum of that push knocked the puck off the pad and over the goal line with 2:51 left in the opening frame.

Meier was not officially credited with the assist, but without him getting his nose dirty the puck doesn’t end up in the net.

• Hischier now has a five-game scoring with three goals and two assists. It was also his fifth goal in the past 10 games.

• The Hockey Gods have been smiling down on the Devils lately. In the last game against Columbus, an errant puck on a dump in ended up on the stick of Jesper Bratt with an easy empty-net goal.

Against the Flames, the Devils picked up their second goal with a little help from an old friend. During an offensive zone sequence, the puck ended up on the stick of Haula in the slot. His shot was going wide of the net, but it hit the body of former Devil Kevin Bahl and deflected into the net.

• Daniel Sprong didn’t get an assist on Haula’s goal, but he was the spark that created the goal. Sprong carried the puck into the zone, drove to the net and his shot created defensive assignment confusion for Calgary. That confusion allowed Haula to get open.

At his best, Sprong can be a dynamic play driving forward and a real difference maker.

• Cotter, who played center for the first time for the Devils, did his part by scoring his 15^th goal of the season late in the second period to extend the Devils lead to 3-1 with 25 seconds left.

Prior to scoring, Cotter was engaged in some rough stuff with Calgary’s Nazem Kadri. The two were getting into at the goal post. The puck exited the zone and Cotter picked up a chipped puck in the corner and cut to the net. Cotter showed great hands by pulled the puck from his backhand, through the crease and to his forehand for the tap in.

• The Devils scratched Curtis Lazar and Ondrej Palat. Both missed practice Wednesday. They went for imaging in the afternoon.

"I didn't get any feedback on how that went or what the situation is," Keefe said. "I'll probably have a little better idea tomorrow."