The New Jersey Devils desperately needed this one.
Mired in a season-long six-game losing streak, New Jersey defeated the New York Islanders 4-1 on Tuesday, putting some much-needed breathing room between the two clubs in a tight Metropolitan Division.
Heading into this one, the Devils had not yet won in 2018:
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 29 | Buffalo | L 4-3 OT |
| Dec. 30 | Washington | L 5-2 |
| Jan. 2 | St. Louis | L 3-2 SO |
| Jan. 4 | Dallas | L 4-3 |
| Jan. 7 | Islanders | L 5-4 SO |
| Jan. 13 | Flyers | L 5-3 |
A regulation win for the Islanders would have put them level with the Devils at 52 points. The New Jersey victory, however, elevated the Devils to 54 points, allowing them to maintain a hold on the second spot in the division.
The Islanders remain outside of the playoff picture, demonstrating just how tight the division is and the importance of busting out of that losing streak.
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