Blue Jackets score 4 straight, rally past Devils to end 4-game skid

NEWARK, N.J. -- Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 5-3 come-from-behind win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Monday.

Sean Monahan scored two goals, Zach Werenski had two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves for the Blue Jackets (12-9-5), who had lost four straight (0-1-3).

"We got down 2-0 early and it didn't faze us," Werenski said. "I thought [Merzlikins] bounced back and made huge saves to kind of get us going and get us in the game. With everything that unfolded tonight, it was just us sticking up for each other and having each other's back.

"I think that's important in a long season, and it's a great win for our group."

Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist, Jesper Bratt had two assists, and Jake Allen made 19 saves for the Devils (16-9-1), who have lost two in a row.

"It definitely was an emotional game," Hischier said. "There were points on the line and we didn't finish the job."

The teams combined for 74 penalty minutes, including 64 in the second period.

"We held our ground when they had pushes, and when they dropped [the gloves] and came a little harder, we held our ground and fought right back," Coyle said. "It doesn't have to be fights, but that kind of got us more into the game. We played a little more physical and it brought out the best in us."

Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon, who was playing in his 1,000th NHL game, was forced to the locker room after a fight with Dmitri Voronkov at 1:01 of the second period. Dillon returned late in the period but didn't play in the third.

"After [Dillon left], emotions were high," Hischier said. "It was 2-2, the game was open, and some mistakes cost us."

New Jersey also lost defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who was given a game misconduct for not having his jersey fastened properly during a fight at 3:58 of the second period.

"I don't like how we handled those situations emotionally," New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Obviously, not long after the situation with [Dillon] they scored, so I don't like that. We've got to do a better job of staying in it emotionally, as hard as it might be."

Hischier scored a power-play goal at 1:26 of the first period to give New Jersey a 1-0 lead when his centering pass deflected in off the stick of Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov.

Palat extended the lead to 2-0 on a wrist shot from the slot at 3:03.

Denton Mateychuk pulled the Blue Jackets to within 2-1 with a power-play goal on a redirection from the slot at 9:54.

The Devils appeared to take a 3-1 lead at 17:08 when Timo Meier scored a power-play goal off a scramble at the right post, but the Blue Jackets successfully challenged the play for goalie interference on Stefan Noesen in the crease.

Monahan then tied it 2-2 at 1:28 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left hash marks during 4-on-4 play.

Coyle converted his own rebound at the left post at 6:40 of the third period to give Columbus a 3-2 lead, and Monahan scored 34 seconds later on a snap shot outside the right post to make it 4-2.

Meier cut it to 4-3 with a power-play goal on a snap shot from the bottom of the right circle at 11:51.

Miles Wood pushed it to 5-3 with a wrist shot at 13:31. Coyle took advantage of an errant pass by Allen from behind his net and fed Wood for an open net in the slot.

"Lately things haven't been going our way (in the third period), so you can say it's going to be the same old song and dance when they made it 4-3, but we just keep playing the right way," Coyle said. "It's a big goal to extend the lead and then play with the lead and keep our momentum going that way."

NOTES: Keefe said Dillon was "doing well' and did not play in the third period for precautionary reasons. ... Dillon became the 11th undrafted defenseman to reach the 1,000-game milestone (following the first NHL Amateur Draft in 1963). ... Hischier (six goals, six assists) and Meier (five goals, three assists) each extended his point streak to six games. ... Devils defenseman Simon Nemec played a game-high 30:06.