NEWARK (AP) — Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves and the Tampa Bay Lightning scored the final four goals in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
Anthony Cirelli, Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov also scored for Tampa Bay in the first quarter of two games. The teams will meet again in New Jersey on Thursday night and meet on Sunday night in Florida.
Damon Severson opened the scoring for the Devils at 5:55 of the first half. Ryan Graves’ apparent goal midway through the first was disallowed due to goalkeeper interference after a challenge from the manager.
Cirelli tied it with a backhand with 3:43 remaining in the first. Hagel gave Tampa Bay the lead midway through the second with his 24th goal of the season.
Alex Killorn added his 21st goal, and Nikita Kucherov scored his 27th just before the second-period buzzer blew. Tampa Bay scored all three of its goals in the second with just seven shots,
Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves for New Jersey.
The Devils welcomed Reilly Hoagland, the club’s honorary pick in the 2020 NHL draft, granting his wish to be a New Jersey Devil for a day. Hoagland, a 16-year-old from Toms River, New Jersey, is a cystic fibrosis patient and Make-A-Wish New Jersey wish recipient whose arena wishing experience was long-awaited due to public health concerns. in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago.
NOTES: Forward Curtis Lazar made his Devils debut after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Vancouver Canucks. He replaced Nathan Bastion (upper body injury). … Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos (leg injury) remains day-to-day.