Devils down Habs with first-period onslaught

For the Canadiens this season, it was an impressive streak: seven straight games picking up at least one point.

OK, four of those games were lost in overtime or a shootout, but in this season to nowhere, the 3-0-4 stretch was a bright spot.

It came to a quick end Tuesday in New Jersey when the Devils took a 4-0 lead in the first period en route to a 6-4 victory, dropping the Canadiens’ record to 25-30-11, including a dismal 9-20-3 on the road.

Thankfully there are only 16 games left in this season of suffering for the Canadiens and their fans, including nine on the road.

Travis Zajac scored twice for the Devils, who ended a three-game losing streak, with Stefan Noesen, Blake Coleman, Patrick Maroon and Brian Boyle adding singles. Three of the Devils’ goals came on the power play.

Jacob de la Rose scored twice for the Canadiens, giving him three on the season, while Brendan Gallagher tied a career high with his 24th goal and Byron Froese scored his third.

Rookie Charlie Lindgren got the start. He played the full 60 minutes, facing 33 shots, while the Canadiens also fired 33 shots at Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid.

Slow start: The Canadiens got off to a slow start, not getting their first shot on goal until the 6:06 mark. Noesen opened the scoring at the 8:25 mark when he deflected a point shot by defenceman Will Butcher. The Devils went up 2-0 after Lindgren stopped a point shot, but Coleman won a battle with Canadiens defenceman Noah Juulsen for the rebound and slipped the puck through the goaltender’s legs.

Ray of hope: Gallagher gave the Canadiens a bit of hope when he scored on a beautiful individual play, cutting from the corner to the front of the net before beating Kinkaid high to the glove side with a backhand at 10:27 of the second period. But Maroon made it 5-1 when he scored their third powerplay goal at 11:36 and Boyle made it 6-1 when he scored at 16:14. De la Rose banged home a loose puck in the crease with 14 seconds left in the second.

Two in the third: De la Rose scored at the 14:40 mark when he drove to the net and deflected in a nice pass from Andrew Shaw, while Froese banged home a loose puck in the final minute.

Hall keeps streak alive: The Devils’ Taylor Hall picked up two assists, extending his point streak to 26 games. Hall leads the Devils in scoring with 30-44-74 totals with 74 points.