Maple Leafs 2, Devils 0
TORONTO -- Phil Kessel picked up his 16th goal of the season and James Reimer made 31 saves for the shutout as the Maple Leafs blanked the Devils 2-0 Monday night.
Kessel picked up a feed from Dion Phaneuf and let go one of his patented wrist shots from the top of the face-off circle on the power play, beating Martin Brodeur at 13:28 of the third.
Kessel now has six goals in five games.
The shutout was Reimer's third of the season tying his previous single-season best.
Jay McClement added an empty netter with just 36 seconds remaining
Toronto (24-14-5) improved to 8-4-1 against the Atlantic Division with the win and now have points in 13 of their last 14 while going 9-1-4.
The Devils (15-17-10) had a number of opportunities to get the game's first goal midway through the third with Leafs defenseman Ryan O'Byrne in the box serving a delay of game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass.
Adam Henrique had Reimer down and out, but the Leafs starter somehow managed to get his right pad on it to keep the puck out.
Off the ensuing face-off, Andy Greene hit the post with a shot from the point. On the Devils next rush Reimer robbed Patrik Elias who was in all alone.
New Jersey finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
The Devils dropped to 1-6-4 in their past 11 games and continue to struggle in the absence of sniper Ilya Kovalchuk going 0-6-4 without the Russian in their lineup.
New Jersey held Toronto to just five shots through the opening 40 minutes while putting 16 on Reimer through two periods.
With less than a minute remaining in the second, Reimer stretched out to deny Devils Travis Zajac who walked out from behind the net.
The Devils also had their best chance during Toronto's second power play of the game as Elias forced Reimer to make a good save off a backhand shot.
O'Byrne took two straight penalties in the second period, but the Devils were unable to score and managed just one shot on goal.
Less than two minutes into the second, Andrei Loktionov had an excellent chance from the side of the net, but put the puck just wide.
James van Riemsdyk had Toronto's best chance of the second, on a wrap-around, but could not beat Brodeur. The Leafs were held to just two shots in the middle period.
Steve Sullivan had a chance of the opening period, on a Devils power play; he fanned on a shot with Reimer down and out.
Leafs forward Nazem Kadri drew his league-leading 29th power play just 49 seconds into the game, but the Leafs were unable to capitalize on the man advantage.
NOTES: Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov served the second game of a four-game suspension for his hit to the head of Bruins forward Brad Marchand. ... Kovalchuk missed his 10th straight game with a sprained right shoulder. ... Toronto forward Joffrey Lupul missed his fifth straight game with a concussion. ... Carl Gunnarsson missed the game with what the team called a lower body injury. The Leafs defenseman is listed as day-to-day. ...Leafs forward Kessel was selected the NHL's second star of the week after leading the league with five goals and finishing tied for the league lead with seven points in three games last week. ... Prior to puck drop, both teams observed a moment of silence for the victims in Monday's Boston Marathon explosions.
