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Devils nip Caps, thanks to Schneider, Jagr

Jan 25, 2014 - 4:38 AM Newark, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - Cory Schneider stopped 30 shots and Adam Henrique netted the eventual game winner early in the second period, as New Jersey slipped past Washington, 2-1, at Prudential Center.

"Cory has given us great goaltending," Devils head coach Peter DeBoer said. "He was the difference."

Schneider upped his record to 5-1-2 with an 0.96 goals-against average and .961 save percentage in his past eight starts dating to Dec. 28.

Stephen Gionta netted a first-period score and Jaromir Jagr assisted twice for the Devils, who have won two in a row.

Jason Chimera provided the lone offense for the Capitals, who have dropped seven in a row with the last five coming in regulation.

Michael Neuvirth played well in defeat, making 28 saves.

Washington finally netted its first goal of the contest with 9:50 left in regulation, as a left-point offering from John Erskine was deflected home by Chimera.

However, the visitors came up short from there, including the final 1:15 of the contest with Neuvirth on the bench for an extra skater.

Gionta opened the scoring at 4:57 of the first period, leading a rush up the right wing and beating Neuvirth on a high shot which slipped through the crook of his arm.

It was 2-0 courtesy of a power-play marker 1:45 into the second, as Henrique slid home a Jagr feed from the right side.

"That was a great play by [Jagr]; Merry Christmas," Henrique said. "The whole entry up the ice on that play was executed well on the power play and Jagr made a great pass."

It was more than just a great pass; Jagr tied former teammate and mentor Mario Lemieux for 10th on the all-time list with 1,033 assists.

The Caps wasted a pair of prime short-handed chances early in the third, failing to get a shot on net off a 2-on-1 break and then having a weak chance from the right wing.

"We had three short-handed breakaways and we didn't score," Caps coach Adam Oates lamented. "He held them in and made the saves when he needed to. We made saves, too. You need execution, and the mistakes are not blatant, but it's still the NHL, and you get burned."

Game Notes

New Jersey has won six of its last eight home games against Washington since November of 2009 ... Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sat for the second straight game with a lower-body injury ... Washington has lost seven straight games for the first time since going eight in a row without a victory (0-6-2) from Dec. 2-18, 2010 ... The Devils host the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon, while the Caps head to Montreal on Saturday night.