NHL ROUNDUP

Keith Kinkaid made 35 saves and the New Jersey Devils took another major step toward making the playoffs for the first time since 2012 with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri scored for New Jersey, which has elevated its playoff chances with wins in five of seven games — including outstanding efforts in beating the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning on consecutive nights. The Devils had to work for this one. They took a 2-0 lead into the third period and saw the margin halved when Ondrej Palat scored on a power play early. Kinkaid saved the lead — and the win — with a diving save on a close-in attempt by Ryan McDonagh with just over two minutes to play and the net wide open. Andrei Vasilevskiy had 30 saves as the Lightning lost for only the third time in 16 games (12-3-1). Hischier, who set up Taylor Hall’s overtime winner in Pittsburgh on Friday night, gave the Devils the lead, tapping the rebound of a shot by fellow rookie Will Butcher into an open net at 17:51 of the first period. Palmieri doubled the lead at 10:59 of the second period, beating Vasilevskiy with a snap shot from between the circles for his 21st goal.

Anton Forsberg stopped 28 shots to help Chicago snap a five-game losing streak. Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad scored in the second period, and Brent Seabrook added an empty-netter for the Blackhawks. John Tavares scored late in the third period and Jaroslav Halak finished with 22 saves as the Islanders lost for the Once the Boston Bruins broke through in the third period, they couldn’t be stopped. David Pastrnak snapped a tie with 12 seconds left and the Bruins scored three straight goals in the third to rally past fading Dallas. Brad Marchand scored Boston’s first goal and assisted on the other two, including a short-handed goal by Tim Schaller that tied it midway through the third period.