Kieffer Bellows scored his first two goals of the season at the start of the third period and the Islanders came together to beat the Devils 3-2 on Saturday at the Prudential Center, taking their eighth straight win.
Oliver Walhstrom also scored and Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves to help East Islands leaders extend their points streak to 11 games 10-0-1.
The winning streak is the longest for the Islanders since they won 10 in a row last season. The team’s record is 15 in early 1982.
Pavel Zacha and Janne Kuokkanen scored for the Devils, who lost 10 consecutive home matches. Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Devils.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz, who put Bellows on the front line with Anders Lee indefinitely due to a leg injury, said the 19th overall choice of the 2016 draft has developed.
“Kieffer received the ball at the beginning of the year and did well, but then we started rolling a little bit and he had to sit down,” said Trotz. “He’s trying to make a statement, he sees an opportunity and he took it for a game. Let’s see if he can do it again. But I was impressed.
Bellows equalized in 2, receiving a pass from Mathew Barzal and beating Blackwood from among the circles at 1:59 of the third period.
Playing in his first NHL game since February 18 and only his ninth of the season, Bellows put the Islanders ahead at 5:10. He received a pass from Jordan Eberle in the center of the ice, then made a forceful move from the right circle and hit Blackwood close by.
“Obviously, scoring one gives you confidence to make a few more moves and you know it gives you more confidence to score more points,” said Bellows, son of former NHL player Brian Bellows. “But without Ebs and Barzie in both games, I wouldn’t have scored either.”
Zacha gave the Devils the lead at the start of the first period and Walhstrom drew later in the period with a straight shot in a race.
Kuokkanen gave the Devils the lead at 1:04 of the second period, diving to hit the open net. He has goals in three in a row.
Veteran Travis Zajac said the team needs to stay focused despite the recent slippage.
“There is no point looking at the classification or being concerned about what the other teams are doing or where we are,” said Zajac, who assisted the Kuokkanen goal. “It is a waste of energy. Our energy will be spent trying to win a game and go from there and divide it into even smaller things, win your turn. win a period and play the right way. “
The teams will be back in Newark late Sunday afternoon for their third consecutive game against each other.