Gritsyuk scores again, Devils push past slumping Ducks

Daws made eight saves in the second period. His best came at 9:43 when he denied an uncontested Beckett Sennecke on a wrist shot down the slot.

“We have a role to play in front of our goaltenders to make their job easier and I think we’ve held fort there for sure recently,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Washe pulled the Ducks within 2-1 at 8:20 of the third period, scoring on a deflection from the slot. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe earned the primary assist with a slap shot from the left point.

“Losing isn’t fun, but I think just our compete,” LaCombe said. “It got better throughout the game, but I think we got to start the game kind of moving our feet. As a group, we got to make that decision. So, yeah, that’s frustrating.”

Anthony Mantha scored on the rebound to make it 3-1 at 13:27. Husso thought he had covered the puck after Brett Pesce‘s shot from outside the right circle, but Mantha was in front to poke it through.

Jack Hughes scored an empty-net goal at 19:53 for the 4-1 final.

“We’re starting the game ready, all the way from the back end,” Bratt said. “I think our D-zone and defensive play to stay above guys is paying off offensively right now. We didn’t give their young guys a lot of time, kept them to the outside, and I think that’s what helped us offensively.”

NOTES: Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov has returned to Anaheim and will miss the rest of the team’s road trip. He is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. … Ducks forward Jeff Malott was a late scratch due to an illness. …  Hischier scored the 55th power-play goal of his career to pass Pat Verbeek for the fourth most in Devils franchise history. … Jack Hughes has scored at least 10 points in his opening 10 games of a season for the fourth time in his career. He has 11 points (three goals, eight assists).