Coleman helps Devils top Habs
N.J. defeats foe for 7th time in row on his 2 goals, 2 assists
Blake Coleman had two goals and two assists and the New Jersey Devils handed the Montreal Canadiens their sixth straight loss, 6-4 on Thursday night.
Travis Zajac, Miles Wood, Jesper Boqvist and Damon Severson also scored and Nikita Gusev had three assists for his first career multi-point game. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 44 shots to help New Jersey beat Montreal for the seventh straight game.
Brendan Gallagher, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Joel Armia and Artturi Lehkonen scored for Montreal. The Canadiens are 0-4-2 on the skid that began Nov. 16 with an overtime loss to the Devils at Bell Centre. They have conceded at least four goals in five of their past six games.
Boqvist gave the Devils a 4-3 lead midway through the second period, beating Carey Price off a rebound.
Severson made it 5-3 at 8:21 of the third with a shot to the top corner on an odd-man rush. Price smashed his stick on the crossbar in frustration.
Lehkonen scored 16 later for Montreal, and Coleman added an emptynetter with 1:16 left.
Montreal is 6-6-2 at home.
Flames: Akim Aliu is not happy with the apology Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters issued for a racial slur he allegedly used when both were in the minors 10 years ago. The former NHL player released his own statement Thursday on Twitter, saying he found Peters’ statement a day earlier acknowledging that he used offensive language to be “misleading, insincere and concerning.” Aliu said he has accepted an invitation from the NHL to discuss the situation and would not comment further until after the meeting. Peters issued a letter Wednesday night to multiple media outlets, apologizing to the Flames and general manager Brad Treliving. Peters did not coach the Flames on Wednesday night when Calgary won in Buffalo against the Sabres. Afterward, Treliving said the Flames’ investigation was ongoing. Their next game is Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.