GLENDALE, Ariz. – Cory Schneider has made it tough on every opponent in the NHL this season. But when it comes to the Arizona Coyotes, the New Jersey Devils goalie always seems to have his A-game.
Schneider shut out the Coyotes for the fourth time in his nine career starts, making 38 saves to give the Devils a 2-0 win at Gila River Arena Saturday.
"Even back to my days in the Western Conference (with the Vancouver Canucks) especially in this building, I've always felt good and played well," said Schneider, who is now 7-1-1 against the Coyotes and has allowed eight goals in the nine games. "There have been years when maybe they were lacking some offense but they've been putting pucks in the net this year and they have some dynamic talent and speed.
"I don't know if it's one thing or another but I've always felt good here for some reason."
Reid Boucher, recalled Friday from Albany of the American Hockey League, scored his first goal of the season and fourth in his NHL career 3:52 into the game. Kyle Palmieri added his team-leading 18th goal 18 seconds into the third period for injury-plagued New Jersey (22-19-5), which had lost five of the past six games but managed a 2-2-0 road trip to the West.
"We had a lot of changes in our lineup and a lot of adversity over the last eight days," New Jersey coach John Hynes said. "So it's good to go .500 on the trip and respond the way we did. I'm proud of the group."
Schneider lowered his goal-against average to 2.03 on the season. His fourth shutout this season and the 21st of his career didn't come easy.
The Coyotes attempted 96 shots and had the lion's share of the puck possession. But the Devils blocked 27 shots -- 12 of them by the defense pair of Adam Larsson (seven) and Andy Greene (five) -- and Arizona missed the net 30 more times. Schneider did the rest, making at least 10 saves in each period.
"Good goalie, square (to the puck), there a lot to like about that guy," Arizona coach Dave Tippett said about Schneider. "We missed a lot of shots and they blocked a lot of shots. Territorially we dominated the game but didn't do enough to win. And when we did make plays, we couldn't shoot straight."
The Coyotes (22-17-5) saw their seven-game point streak end (5-0-2) and lost in regulation for the third time in the past 16 games. Anders Lindback made 14 saves in his first start since Dec.29.
"The story of the game was we couldn't capitalize," said Arizona forward Max Domi, who missed the net on nine shot attempts including a point-blank chance in the third. "Their 'D' blocked everything and they play in front of one of the best goalies around."
Arizona came into the game with 14 power-play goals in their past 10 games. They had nine shots on five chances Saturday but came away empty.
The Devils, who came into the game averaging 2.16 goals per game and had scored six in the past six games, got off to a fast start. Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was knocked off the puck at the Arizona blueline and Lee Stempniak and Boucher broke in 2-on-1. Stempniak gave Boucher time to pick a spot and he beat Lindback to the blocker side from the high slot.
"On nights like these, that's the kind of save I need to make," Lindback said.
The assist was the 400th NHL point for Stempniak and his 31st point of the season, which ranks third on the Devils.
"I tried to pass it to Stemper but he touched it right back," Boucher said. "I saw the D-man lay down and I just wanted to get it on the net. We gutted out a win there and (Schneider) was unbelievable and the PK was great."
The Coyotes outshot the Devils 15-5 in the second period, pressured heavily on two power plays and had long stretches of possession in the New Jersey end. But Schneider made saves on Kyle Chipchura on a two-on-one, Mikkel Boedker in tight and Shane Doan on an Antoine Vermette rebound to keep the Devils in front.
"We didn't have any trouble getting chances," said Arizona defenseman Kevin Connauton, who made his Coyotes debut after being claimed on waiver from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. "It was fun to play with fast, skilled forwards. I was just trying to move the puck up to them."
The Devils gave Schneider some breathing room on the first shift of the third period. Joseph Blandisi poked the puck from behind the net to the front and Palmieri banked the puck off Lindback's skate and in at 18 seconds.
"If you look at all the injuries we have the guys from Albany are going to be huge contributors for us," said Palmieri, who shook off an upper-body injury in the first period and was limping after the game from a shot taken off his foot in the third.
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