Kovalchuk scores 3 in Devils 4-1 win over Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Zach Parise delivered on his promise by helping linemate Ilya Kovalchuk enjoy his first three-goal game with the New Jersey Devils.

Better still, Kovalchuk and Co. continued climbing up the standings after winning their season-best fifth straight road game with a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.

Kovalchuk, who also had an assist, completed his hat trick by scoring into an empty net. The credit went to Parise, who passed up what would have been an easy goal to set up Kovalchuk in the slot for a one-timer with 9 seconds left.

"Zach's got the empty-net breakaway, and I was just thinking he was going to put it in," Kovalchuk said. "That says a lot about his leadership."

No problem, said Parise, who had told Kovalchuk on the bench earlier in the period that he would do what he could to set him up for No. 3.

"Opportunities for hat tricks don't come very often," Parise said. "I don't think he was expecting the pass."

It was Kovalchuk's 12th career three-goal game. His previous one was three years ago with Atlanta.

Petr Sykora broke a 1-1 tie 1:44 into the third period, and Martin Brodeur stopped 29 shots in helping the Devils improve to 6-1-2 in their past nine games. Though still in sixth in the Eastern Conference, New Jersey moved one point behind division rivals Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

It's a different story for the Sabres, whose margin for error grows slimmer as they sit 14th in the East. Jason Pominville scored for Buffalo, which has lost two straight following a 5-0-1 run.

Lack of discipline plagued the Sabres, who drew seven penalties that resulted in the Devils scoring two power-play goals.

"I would say half were bad penalties, just flat-out bad penalties," coach Lindy Ruff said.

Buffalo's lack of offense is also troubling.

The Sabres have scored three or more goals in regulation just five times in 20 games. The only consistent line that is producing features Pominville, who extended his point streak to five games. He has four goals and two assists during the spurt.

"We need pucks to go in for different people," Ruff said. "The big thing would've been getting the lead, forced them out of their game. We didn't. We gave them the lead."

The turning point came with the Devils on the power play to open the third period.