Jacob Markstrom helps Devils stymie Blues

Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves as the visiting New Jersey Devils snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

Timo Meier, Dougie Hamilton and Nico Hischier scored for the Devils and Luke Hughes earned an assist in his first game since Jan. 19. He had been sidelined with an upper-body injury.

Pavel Buchnevich scored for the Blues, who lost for the ninth time in 11 games. Jordan Binnington stopped 30 of 32 shots in defeat.

The first period was fast paced but scoreless. Jack Hughes had two good chances for the Devils, with a shot moving in from the left wing and his deflected shot from the left circle.

The Blues had a few chances as well, including Dylan Holloway's break-in from the right wing and Logan Mailloux's shot through traffic from the blue line.

The Devils dominated the second period, outshooting the Blues 17-5 while taking a 2-0 lead.

New Jersey's pressure began with a power play, with Meier testing Binnington. Jack Hughes set up Brett Pesce for a shot that rang off the post.

Then Pesce set up Meier, who moved in from the right wing to put the Devils up 1-0.

And the New Jersey shots kept coming: Meier from the right faceoff dot and Hischier from the slot. After the Blues survived a goalmouth flurry, they got a late power play.

But their only chance came from a long Philip Broberg shot without a screen. New Jersey resumed its pressure and scored on a power play, with Jack Hughes circling the back of the net and feeding Hamilton for his goal from the center point.

With Binnington off the ice for an extra attacker, Markstrom attempted to score an empty-net net goal. Buchnevich blocked the shot, then he scored off Pius Suter's pass.

But Hischier finished off the Blues with an empty-net goal in the final 5 seconds of the game.