Kieffer Bellows scored his first two goals of the season early in the third period and the Icelanders came together to beat the Devils 3-2 on Saturday at the Prudential Center for their eighth straight victory.
Oliver Walhstrom also scored and Semyon Varlamov made 26 stops to help the island leaders in the east extend the points streak to 11 games on 10-0-1.
The winning streak is the longest for the Icelanders since they won 10 straight last season. The team record was 15 in early 1982.
Pavel Zacha and Janne Kuokkanen scored for the Devils, who have lost 10 in a row at home. Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 stops for the Devils.
Islands coach Barry Trotz, who placed Bellows in his front line with Anders Lee indefinitely with a leg injury, said the No. 19 pick in the 2016 draft has developed.
“Kieffer was given the ball earlier in the year and it came out well, but we started rolling a bit and he had to sit down,” Trotz said. “He tried to make a statement, saw an opportunity and took advantage of it for a match. Let’s see if he can do it again. But I was impressed.
Bellows tied at 2, taking a pass from Mathew Barzal and beating Blackwood between circles at 1:59 of the third period.
Playing in his first NHL game since Feb. 18 and only the ninth of the season, Bellows put the Islanders ahead at 5:10. He took a pass from Jordan Eberle in the middle of the ice and then made a move from the right circle and beat Blackwood up close.
“Obviously, scoring one gives you confidence to get out there and make a few more plays and you know it gives you more confidence score,” said Bellows, son of former NHL player Brian Bellows. “But without Ebs and Barzie in those two plays, I wouldn’t have scored either.”
Zacha gave the Devils an advantage early in the first period and Walhstrom tied it later in the period with a blowout blow.
Kuokkanen gave the Devils an advantage at 1:04 of the second period, diving to throw a rebound into an open net. He has scored three goals in a row.
Veteran Travis Zajac said the team must stay focused despite recent skating.
“It’s no use looking at the standings or worrying about what other teams are doing or where we’re from,” said Zajac, who attended Kuokkanen’s goal. “It’s a waste of energy. Our energy will be devoted to trying to win a game and going from there to dividing it into even smaller things, winning your turn. earn a point and play the right way “.
The teams will return to Newark on Sunday afternoon to play the third game in a row.