Three Devils Goals Overturned In Loss to Leafs | GAME STORY

The win streak has come to an end at the hands of the Toronto Maples Leafs.
In a game where the Devils had three goals waived off, the streak has come to a close after thirteen consecutive wins. The loss ends a remarkable run for New Jersey who last lost on Oct. 24, just shy of a month ago, to the Washington Capitals.
The 2-1 loss to the Leafs is the first time the Devils have been shut out this season, in their 20th game of the year. It also is the first time New Jersey has lost to a Canadian team this year, having won nine of their 13 consecutive victories against Canadian clubs.
"If it was going to end, it was going to end like that," Erik Haula said, "Just a complete hurricane out there."
Tensions boiled over at Prudential Center after a third Devils goal - Erik Haula's this time - was waived off for a distinct kicking motion, meaning the Devils had goals waived off in all three periods tonight against the Maple Leafs.
"It just seemed like it wasn't quite in control in some ways," Haula said after the game, "and then it got crazy."
Dougie Hamilton's goal in the third period was the lone Devils goal that counted against the Maple Leafs, avoiding a first shutout this season.
"Tough luck for us," Haula continued, "tough bounces, especially on (the overturned goals)."

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The Devils are on the road in Buffalo on Friday night to face the Sabres.
- Jonas Siegenthaler had his second goal of the season - which would have been a career-high - stripped from him midway in the first period. His shot from the high slot was slightly touched by a Leafs stick and grazed past goaltender Matt Murray.

Immediately the refs called off the goal for goaltender interference at the hands of Nathan Bastian. Bastian was said to have made contact with the goaltender, enough to be considered considerable in impairing Murray from being able to make the save, based on the following rule:

Video review confirmed New Jersey's Nathan Bastian had significant presence in the crease which impaired Matt Murray's ability to play his position. The decision was made in accordance with Rule 69.1 which states, in part, "Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper's ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal." - After 20 minutes of play, the Devils were behind by two goals, trailing by two for the first time since the win in Edmonton against the Oilers two weeks ago. Over the course of the 13-game win streak, that game in Edmonton was the only time the team trailed by two goals at any given point in a game. - Frustration started to boil as a second goal was immediately waved off in the second period. The play was a result of Murray playing the puck behind his net, while Tomas Tatar came skating behind the net, and skated between Murray and the net.

Tatar was hunting down the puck and Murray was making his way back to his crease from playing the puck behind the net, when the puck struck Murray's stick, deflecting it into the empty net, again waived off by the referees. - Trailing by two after 20 minutes, the Devils pushed back on the Leafs in the second period, outshooting Toronto by a 16-4 margin. There was a stretch of 12:20 when the Devils held the Leafs without a single shot. Michael Bunting had a shot with 14:22 left in the period and it wasn't until Pierre Engvall took one with 2:02 left In the period that the Leafs had a shot on goal. - This was the second time this season the Devils had two goals waived off in a single game, and unsurprisingly the first time they've had three waived off.

Earlier during the win streak, the Devils had two goals waived off against the Calgary Flames. In that game, which New Jersey would later win for their seventh consecutive victory, Jonas Siegenthaler also had a goal waived off.

Siegenthaler has never scored more than one goal in a season. He's officially scored one this year and has had two waived off. - The longest win streak in Leafs history, a team that's part of the NHL's Original Six, is 10 games. - Thinking about this loss, the game against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night may be one of the more important games of the year. How does the club respond to a loss that ended a history-tying streak?

We'll find out in a manner of days.   

"I think it's massive," Brendan Smith said, "It will be absolutely huge. That game will show the maturity level, and I've been very impressed. There's going to be times this year where we're going to be tested with adversity and it's what you do with that. That will show what a good club is."