Hagel scores 3, Hedman adds 2 as Lightning beat Devils 8-5

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Brandon Hagel had three goals for his second career hat trick, Victor Hedman scored twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New Jersey Devils 8-5 on Tuesday night.

Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel and Janis Moser also scored to help the Lightning snap a two-game skid. Anthony Cirelli had four assists and Jonas Johansson stopped 28 shots.

Timo Meier scored two goals and Jack Hughes, Nathan Bastian and Stefan Noessen each had one for the Devils, who have lost three of four (1-2-1) after winning four of their first five. Jake Allen finished with 29 saves.

New Jersey led 2-1 early in the second period before Tampa Bay scored five straight goals later in the period, three from Hagel.

Moser's third period short-handed goal carried 136 feet, ricocheting off the side boards past Allen to push the Lightning's lead to 8-4.

After losing 5-2 to the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Monday, the Lightning showed no signs of rust against the Devils. They peppered 37 shots on goal and blocked 18 shots.

New Jersey is now 1-2-1 at home, getting outscored 18-15 in those four games. New Jersey has allowed 14 goals in the last two games, both home losses.

Trailing 2-1 early in the second period, Tampa Bay scored five straight goals on just 13 shots to move ahead 6-2 heading into the third period. Hagel scored three of those goals at 9:27, 13:01 and 15:52 for his second hat trick against the Devils.

Tampa Bay won despite star forward Nikita Kucherov being kept off the score sheet. The veteran right wing, who entered the game leading the NHL with seven goals, took just three shots, but did have an assist.

The Lightning host Minnesota on Thursday night to open a three-game homestand, and the Devils visit Detroit.

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

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates after scoring a goal against New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen (34) during the first period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New Jersey Devils right wing Timo Meier (28) misses a shot at the goal against Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson (31) during the second period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (41) holds New Jersey Devils center Paul Cotter (47) after a scuffle with Nicholas Paul (20) during the second period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt (63) plays the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson (31) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) during the second period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen (34) makes a save againstTampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening (11) during the first period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) skates with the puck against New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) during the first period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a NHL hockey game, Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drones blasted apartment buildings and the power grid in the southern Ukraine city of Odesa in an overnight attack that injured six people, including a toddler and two other children, officials said Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence in his country's eventual victory in the nearly four-year war against its neighbor.

Four apartment buildings were damaged in the Odesa bombardment, according to regional military administration head Oleh Kiper. The DTEK power provider said two of its energy facilities had significant damage. The company said 10 substations that distribute electricity in the region have been damaged in December.

Russia has escalated attacks on urban areas of Ukraine. As its invasion approaches a four-year milestone in February, it has also intensified targeting of energy infrastructure, seeking to deny Ukrainians heat and running water in the bitter winter months.

Between January and November, more than 2,300 Ukrainian civilians were killed and more than 11,000 were injured, the United Nations said earlier in December. That was 26% higher than in the same period in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023, it said.

There are renewed diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting.

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday and announced that a settlement is “closer than ever before." The Ukrainian leader is due to hold talks next week with European leaders supporting his efforts to secure acceptable terms.

Despite progress in peace negotiations, which he didn't mention, Putin reaffirmed his belief in Russia’s eventual success in its invasion during his traditional New Year’s address.

He gave special praise to Russian troops deployed in Ukraine, describing them as heroes “fighting for your native land, truth and justice.”

“We believe in you and our victory,” Putin said, as cited by Russian state news agency Tass.

The Russian Defense Ministry said 86 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Russian regions, the Black Sea and the illegally annexed Crimea peninsula.

Russia’s Defense Ministry released a video of a downed drone that it said was one of 91 Ukrainian drones involved in an alleged attack this week on a Putin residence in northwestern Russia, a claim Kyiv has denied as a “lie.”

The nighttime video showed a man in camouflage, a helmet and a Kevlar vest standing near a damaged drone lying in snow. The man, his face covered, talks about the drone. Neither the man nor the Defense Ministry provided any location or date.

The video and claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian officials have denied the allegations of an attack on Putin’s lakeside country residence and called them a ruse to derail progress in peace negotiations.

Maj. Gen. Alexander Romanenkov of the Russian air force claimed that the drones took off from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions. At a briefing where no questions were allowed, he presented a map showing the drone flight routes before they allegedly were downed by Russian air defenses over the Bryansk, Tver, Smolensk and Novgorod regions.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called the Russian allegations “a deliberate distraction” from peace talks.

Zelenskyy said Romania and Croatia are the latest countries to join a fund that buys weapons for Ukraine from the United States.

The financial arrangement, known as the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL, pools contributions from NATO members, except the United States, to purchase U.S. weapons, munitions and equipment.

Since it was established in August, 24 countries are now contributing to the fund, according to Zelenskyy. The fund has received $4.3 billion, with almost $1.5 billion coming in December, he said on social media.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Security Service carried out a drone strike on a major Russian fuel storage facility in the northwestern Yaroslavl region early Tuesday, according to a Ukrainian security official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Long-range drones struck the Temp oil depot in the city of Rybinsk, part of Russia’s state fuel reserve system, the official told The Associated Press. Rybinsk is about 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

A previous version of this story was corrected to give the timing of the alleged attack on Putin's residence as late Sunday and early Monday.

Katie Marie Davies in Leicester, England, contributed to this story.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This image made from undated video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, shows a downed drone at an undisclosed location that it said was one of the Ukrainian drones involved in an alleged attack on a residence of President Vladimir Putin this week – a claim Kyiv has denied as a "lie". (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

This image made from undated video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, shows a downed drone at an undisclosed location that it said was one of the Ukrainian drones involved in an alleged attack on a residence of President Vladimir Putin this week – a claim Kyiv has denied as a "lie". (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

This image made from undated video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, shows a man in camouflage standing by a downed drone at an undisclosed location that it said was one of the Ukrainian drones involved in an alleged attack on a residence of President Vladimir Putin this week – a claim Kyiv has denied as a "lie". (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this image made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, a Russian Army soldier fires from D-30 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)