The New Jersey Devils beat the Florida Panthers 5-1, extending their winning streak and threatening the Panthers' playoff hopes.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Florida Panthers 5-1 on Tuesday, extending their winning streak to two games and dealing a major blow to Florida’s playoff hopes. Dougie Hamilton scored and added an assist, while Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each recorded two assists. Arseny Gritsyuk, Cody Glass, Dawson Mercer, and Simon Nemec also scored, with Mercer and Nemec adding empty-net goals in the third period, which the Devils dominated 12-2 in shots. Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves for New Jersey, improving to 17-32-1 on the season. The Panthers, now 2-8-0 in their last 10 games, remain just one point ahead of New Jersey in the standings and are at risk of becoming the first defending Stanley Cup champion to miss the playoffs since 2015. Hamilton, with 17 points in his last 20 games, remains a potential trade candidate ahead of the NHL deadline.