Devils 3, Hurricanes 1: Travis Zajac snapped a tie at 6:34 of the second period and Dainius Zubrus added a pair of goals as visiting New Jersey continued its push toward a playoff spot.

Cory Schneider turned aside 26 shots for the Devils, who extended their point streak to seven games (4-0-3) and climbed within one of Columbus for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with four games remaining.

Jeff Skinner scored the lone goal for the Hurricanes, who had their five-game point streak (3-0-2) halted. Anton Khudobin made 20 saves as Carolina remained six points behind the Blue Jackets with four games left.

New Jersey got on the board with 4:27 remaining in the first period as Zubrus beat Khudobin with a backhander during a partial breakaway created by a bad line change by Carolina. The Hurricanes pulled even at 4:50 of the second, when video review confirmed that Skinner's shot from the right faceoff circle hit the back bar and bounced out.

Play continued before Skinner was awarded his 31st goal, matching his career high set as a rookie in 2010-11. The Devils wasted little time regaining the lead, as Zajac's tip of defenseman Marek Zidlicky's shot from the top of the slot rang off the left post and bounced in the crease before trickling across the goal line less than two minutes later.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Zidlicky's assist gave him 40 points, his highest total since notching 43 in 2009-10 with Minnesota. ... New Jersey was without LW Patrick Elias (head) and Cs Adam Henrique and Jacob Josefson (lower body), who all were injured in Friday's triumph over Washington. ... The Devils went 3-1-0 in the four-game season series with Carolina.