Devils Run Win Streak to 12

This wasn’t about the New Jersey Devils extending a couple of streaks against the New York Rangers. It was bigger than that.

Alexander Mogilny and Jason Arnott scored second-period goals 92 seconds apart Wednesday night as the Devils stretched their franchise-record winning streak to 12 games and their unbeaten streak against the Rangers to 23 with a 4-0 victory at East Rutherford, N.J.

“This was about pride,” Devil center Bobby Holik said. “We fought very hard to play well coming off a tough road trip. People may say how easy it was, but it’s still hard when you go two-thirds of the way across the continent.”

The Devils had beaten Calgary, 4-2, on Monday.

New Jersey, 15-0-8 against the Rangers since 1997, is only five shy of the NHL record 17 consecutive victories set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I think we can play even better than we are playing right now,” center John Madden said. “That’s what we are striving for, to play the perfect game.”

Ottawa 5, Phoenix 2--Magnus Arvedson scored two goals at Phoenix as the Senators remained one point behind New Jersey in the Eastern Conference.

Nashville 0, Minnesota 0--Jame McLennan stopped 27 shots for the Wild and Mike Dunham stopped 23 for the Predators at St. Paul, Minn.

Tampa Bay 4, Atlanta 3--Brad Richards scored with 6:15 remaining to lift the Lightning at Atlanta.

Florida 3, Toronto 1--Kevyn Adams scored two goals and Pavel Bure recorded his league-leading 56th goal for the Panthers at Toronto.

Columbus 1, Vancouver 1--Chris Nielsen, called up by the Blue Jackets earlier in the day, scored the tying goal in the third period at Columbus, Ohio.

Carolina 1, Buffalo 0--David Tanabe scored late in the second period and Arturs Irbe stopped 26 shots at Raleigh, N.C., for his sixth shutout.