Sturm scores lone goal, Blackwood stops 44 shots and Devils edge Sharks 1-0

NEWARK, N.J. -- Nico Sturm scored late in the first period and Mackenzie Blackwood made 44 saves as the San Jose Sharks beat the New Jersey Devils 1-0 on Sunday night.

Sturm scored his third goal of the season when his backhand caromed off New Jersey’s Timo Meier and past Devils netminder Jake Allen with less than four minutes to play in the opening period. Carl Grundstrom and Henry Thrun assisted.

Blackwood, who played five seasons for the Devils before he was traded to the Sharks in June 2023, recorded the 11th shutout of his career in his first game as a visiting netminder at Prudential Center.

The loss ended the Devils's three-game winning streak. New Jersey was coming off Saturday’s 4-3 comeback overtime road win against the Islanders.

Allen made 26 saves.

Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini, the top overall pick in last June’s draft, made his debut against an Eastern Conference opponent in his fourth game and first road game this season. The 18-year-old Celebrini has three goals and four points overall. He recently returned after missing 12 games with a hip injury.

Blackwood stopped former teammate Jesper Bratt on a partial breakaway in the last minute of the second period. He denied Devils leading scorer Jack Hughes with a pad save midway through the third and stopped a long shot by Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon at 12:28 of the third.

The Sharks came into the game with a 1-5-1 road record. Their victory Sunday was their first road win in regulation. San Jose’s other win away from home was a 5-4 overtime victory at Utah on Oct. 28.

New Jersey fell to 4-3-2 on home ice. The Devils are 6-3-0 on the road.

Sharks: Visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night to continue a four-game road trip.

Devils: Visit Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL