Devils end Kings' eight-game winning streak

NEWARK, N.J. -- All the New Jersey Devils needed to get back on the winning track was to face the hottest team in the league.

However, the good vibe from Tuesday's 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center was tempered over concern for the team's leading scorer, Taylor Hall, who suffered an unspecified injury in the third period after scoring twice earlier in the game.

Hall came up limping after being checked hard into the boards by Kings defenseman Kurtis MacDermid seven minutes into the third. Though he remained on the ice to play the next shift, Hall soon shut it down and did not finish the game.

Devils coach John Hynes termed the play "a little bit of a dangerous hit" and said Hall will be evaluated Wednesday by the team's medical personnel.

"Hopefully it's nothing major because you see what (Hall) brings to the team," Devils center Travis Zajac said. "Obviously, he's dangerous every shift and creates chances every time he's on the ice. So hopefully, like I said, it's nothing serious."

The win snapped New Jersey's two-game skid and halted the Kings eight-game-winning streak, the longest in the NHL this season and one shy of equaling the longest in franchise history.

"I think it goes to show that when we play our best, we're as good as any team in the league," said Devils goaltender Cory Schneider, who made 16 saves. "They're the hottest team in the league right now and we got to our game right away and stuck with it."

Hall recorded his second multi-goal game of the season, while Zajac, Brian Boyle and Brian Gibbons also scored for the Devils (17-9-4).

Torrey Mitchell scored late in the third period for the Kings (20-9-3), who were nearly shut out in this opener of a four-game road trip.

"It was not one we're particularly proud of," Kings forward Kyle Clifford said.

New Jersey opened the scoring at 13:44 of the first period when Zajac slammed home a rebound for his second goal of the season. Hall then converted Jesper Bratt's cross-ice pass for a power-play goal to make it 2-0 at 16:14.

That power-play goal was New Jersey's first in five games. It also marked the first time this season that the Kings, the league's No. 1 ranked penalty kill entering play, allowed a power-play goal in three consecutive games.

Hall netted his second of the game and 11th of the season in impressive fashion at 15:42 of the second period to give the Devils a three-goal lead. The Devils winger stripped Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin of the puck at the L.A. blue line, broke in alone and beat goaltender Jonathan Quick between the pads for his fifth goal in the past eight games.

Less than two minutes later Boyle wristed a shot from left wing that beat Quick through the five-hole, making it 4-0 at 17:04. It was the first time since Nov. 19 the Kings -- who began the night with the league's stingiest defense, allowing only 2.19 goals per game -- surrendered as many as four goals.

"Everybody wanted to have a contribution, everybody wanted to kind of get some of that taste out of their mouths from the last few games we had," Boyle said. "To a man, each guy had to make a statement."

Schneider lost his shutout bid when Mitchell deflected an Alec Martinez shot into the net at 12:04 of the third period.

Gibbons, who assisted on the Zajac goal earlier, closed out the scoring, beating Quick on a short-handed breakaway with 11 seconds left on the clock.

Kings coach John Stevens said he believes his team got what it deserved Tuesday.

"The bottom line is they were a lot harder on pucks than we were, but it's a good lesson that stings a little bit," Stevens said. "Sometimes you need a lesson like that to get your attention."

NOTES: With his second-period assist, Devils RW Stefan Noesen extended his point-scoring streak to a season-high four consecutive games. ... Devils LW Marcus Johansson did not play because of a bruised ankle, and is listed as day-to-day. ... New Jersey also scratched D Dalton Prout and D Ben Lovejoy. ... Prior to this loss, the Kings won all five of their games this season against Metropolitan Division opponents. ... Kings LW Kyle Clifford returned to the lineup after a 28-game absence caused by an upper-body injury. ... The Kings scratched LW Jussi Jokinen, LW Andy Andreoff and D Oscar Fantenberg.