The Devils snuff the Blue Jackets

Mercer strikes twice, and Columbus goes dark

Thirty-six seconds of fire

The goal that saved the New Jersey Devils went into an empty net with 0:57 left in regulation, and it almost wasn't enough. Thirty-six seconds later Dmitri Voronkov poked one home for the Columbus Blue Jackets, with their goalie pulled for an extra attacker, and New Jersey had to see out the rest of the night with one goal to spare.

Both candles came into the Round of 16 hot. The Devils had beaten the Lightning on qualification night, the Blue Jackets the Canadiens. Both have reached a Gauntlet semifinal and gone no further. Losing here meant going dark with 14 flames still burning.

The power play bites

New Jersey got through a Dougie Hamilton high-sticking double minor and a Brett Pesce hooking call without conceding, then cashed in on a power play of its own. Timo Meier snapped a wrist shot in at 15:47 of the first, set up by Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.

Kirill Marchenko tied it alone with a wrist shot at 8:49 of the second. Cole Sillinger went off for hooking at 9:13, and Dawson Mercer made it hurt: a slap shot on the power play, 2:20 after the equalizer, from Arseny Gritsyuk and Ondrej Palat.

Two goalies, one door

Columbus outshot New Jersey 33 to 28, but the Devils had goaltending to spare. Jake Allen stopped 23 of 24, Jacob Markstrom 8 of 9. Jet Greaves made 25 saves at the other end. Then came 27:54 without a goal until Mercer's empty-netter, from Nico Hischier and Brenden Dillon. Voronkov's late answer only made the finish closer. The Blue Jackets' flame was doused, and the Devils burn on.