Meier scores tiebreaking goal early in 3rd period as Devils beat Kraken 3-2

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Timo Meier scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, and the New Jersey Devils beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Friday night.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist in his 500th career game, Luke Hughes scored his first goal of the season and Jack Hughes had two assists for the Devils. Jacob Markstrom had 17 saves as New Jersey won for the sixth time in eight games.

Shane Wright and Andre Burakovsky scored for the Kraken, who snapped a two-game win streak and lost for the fourth time in six games. Philipp Grubauer had a season-high 34 saves.

Meier put the Devils ahead on a rebound 53 seconds into the third with his ninth goal of the season and 200th of his career.

Burakovsky got the Kraken on the scoreboard first midway through the first period. He has 10 goals and 13 points in 22 career games against the Devils.

Luke Hughes tied it a little more than 2 minutes later.

Wright put the Kraken back ahead with a power-play goal 3:41 into the second, but Bratt tied it again at 8:03 with his 13th.

Devils: Jack Hughes continued his hot streak and has 10th points in his last four games. Hughes (11 goals, 24 assists) and Bratt (12 goals, 25 assists) have combined for 72 points.

Kraken: Seattle has dropped six of its last nine games.

The Devils killed off a Seattle power play midway through the third period, allowing just one shot on goal during the advantage.

Bratt became the fifth player in Devils franchise history to record multiple points in his 500th career game, joining Zach Parise, Jason Arnott, Scott Niedermayer and Patrik Sundstrom.

Kraken visit the New York Rangers on Sunday to finish a four-game trip, and Devils host Colorado.

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

New Jersey Devils center Paul Cotter (47) fights for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) moves the puck against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

New Jersey Devils center Justin Dowling moves the puck against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25), defenseman Brett Pesce (22) and Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) watch the puck fly wide of the goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. Devils won 3-2. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) saves a shot from New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) looks up in disappointment as the New Jersey Devils score a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25), watches as defenseman Luke Hughes (43) and Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) turn to chase the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. Devils won 3-2. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) and Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) chase the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Newark, N.J. Devils won 3-2. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in the Gaza Strip overnight, the Health Ministry said early Thursday. The Israeli military said it had targeted a group of militants.

The strike hit a car outside the Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in the central part of the territory. The journalists were working for the local Quds News Network.

The military said it targeted a group of fighters from Islamic Jihad, a militant group allied with Hamas, whose Oct. 7, 2023 attack into southern Israel ignited the war. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings still visible on the back doors.

Several young men attended the funeral outside the hospital, many of them sobbing. The bodies were all wrapped in white shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says over 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel has not allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds.

Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accused six of its Gaza reporters of being militants. The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations.

Separately, the military said a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza early Thursday. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation over a year ago.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border in a surprise attack on nearby army bases and farming communities. They killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Israel's air and ground offensive has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities have been women and children but does not say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The offensive has caused widespread destruction and driven around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid tent camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

A relative mourns over the body of one of the five Palestinian journalists who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners react as they carry the bodies of five Palestinian journalists who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A relative mourns over the body of one of the five Palestinian journalists who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Relatives and friends mourn over the bodies of five Palestinian journalists who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians, mostly journalists, gather around the bodies of five Palestinian journalists who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A woman reacts during the funeral of five Palestinian journalists who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)