Jack Hughes, Connor Brown lead Devils past Rangers, 6-3

Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each had goal and two assists to help the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.

The Devils are 10 points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots. They opened a five-game trip after going 5-2 on a homestand.

Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt each had a goal an assist for New Jersey, and Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier also scored. Jacob Markstrom made 14 saves.

Vladislav Gavrikov, Mika Zibanejad and Conor Sheary scored for New York. Jonathan Quick stopped 33 shots.

Last in the East, the Rangers have lost two straight after winning four in a row.

Brown gave New Jersey a 3-2 lead on a power play with 8:24 left in the second period, beating Quick with a quick shot from the slot off a pass from Hughes.

Meier made it 4-2 at 6:29 of the third with his 19th of the season, and Sheary countered for New York at 9:41.

Hughes restored the two-goal margin with 6:55 left, firing in a wrist shot for the U.S. Olympic star's 18th of the season. Bratt capped the scoring with 3:38 to go, with Hughes picking up his 36th assist on the play.

Zibanejad tied it at 2 at 19 seconds of the second period with his 28th goal. He beat Markstrom from the high slot on the Rangers' third shot of the game.

New Jersey led 2-1 after outshooting New York 17-2 in the first. Gavrikov scored for the Devils with 4:40 left, Hischier batted in his 24th on a power play with 3:46 to go, and Gritsyuk gave New Jersey the lead with 44 seconds remaining.

Up next

Devils: At Washington on Friday night.

Rangers: At Columbus on Thursday night.