Kris Versteeg scored his team best 14th goal of the season with five minutes left in the period and Jose Theodore made 15 saves to keep the Devils without a goal.
Krys Barch started out early, getting into a prolonged scrap with New Jersey’s Cam Janssen on a delayed penalty by Mike Santorelli. The fight went on for about 90 seconds before the two were broken up and sent to the penalty box with five minute minors.
The Panthers put six shots on goal in a 1:30 span with about six minutes left in the period when Stephen Weiss dropped a pass for Kris Versteeg to swat into the wide open net for a 1-0 Panthers lead.
The Panthers did not see a power play in the period, and successfully killed off two by the Devils, even getting a shorthanded shot on each.
Hits: Devils, 10-8
Blocked Shots: Tied, 3-3
Faceoffs: Panthers, 15-9
Shots: Panthers, 15-13
Score: Panthers 1, Devils 0