New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) scores a goal on Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 29, 2016, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) scores a goal on Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 29, 2016, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Credit: ap — Julio Cortez

Newark, n.j. — The New Jersey Devils are fighting and scratching for a playoff spot with five games left in the regular season. It looks as if the Boston Bruins are trying to give one away.

Reid Boucher scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period, Keith Kinkaid made 39 saves and the Devils kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over the struggling Bruins on Tuesday night.

The Devils moved within five points of Philadelphia and Detroit in the race for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins remained in third place in the Atlantic Division — a playoff spot — despite losing for the sixth time in seven games.

New Jersey, Detroit and Boston all have five games left in the regular season.

Wild 4, Blackhawks 1

St. Paul, Minn. — Jared Spurgeon, Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter scored in the third period to lift surging Minnesota over Chicago, stretching the Wild’s season-long winning streak to six straight games.

The Blackhawks played without their two top defensemen, because of an illness for Brent Seabrook and then an ugly first-period match penalty on Duncan Keith for swinging his stick at Charlie Coyle, a potentially costly mistake that could draw a multigame suspension from the NHL.

Canadiens 4, Red Wings 3

Montreal — Max Pacioretty’s second goal of the night lifted the Canadiens to the victory.

Paul Byron and Sven Andrighetto also scored for Montreal, which blew a two-goal lead and trailed 3-2 heading into the final period. Mike Condon had 39 saves.

Penguins 5, Sabres 4 (so)

Pittsburgh — Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel beat Chad Johnson in a shootout, and Pittsburgh inched closer to a 10th straight playoff berth.

Islanders 2Hurricanes 1 (so)

New York — Kyle Okposo scored the only goal of the shootout and the Islanders rallied for the win.

Maple Leafs 5, Panthers 2

Sunrise, Fla. — Nazem Kadri scored two of his three goals during second-period power plays, leading the Maple Leafs to the road victory.

Michael Grabner and Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau also scored for Toronto, and Connor Brown had three assists.

Jonathan Huberdeau and Greg McKegg scored for the Panthers.

Toronto’s Jonathan Bernier made 32 saves. Roberto Luongo had 24 for Florida.