NEWARK — Isn't it time Devils coach Pete DeBoer gave defenseman Adam Larsson a pat on the back?

It’s only been two games since Larsson got back into the lineup — at the expense of Eric Gelinas — but he’s been instrumental in the Devils’ two home victories.

The defenseman, who turns 22 in two weeks, played well with a physical performance against the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night and he followed that by scoring the game-winning goal in Saturday night's 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“It was huge for me,” Larsson said of his goal, a slap shot from the right point in the third period. “Good for my confidence and all that. It was good to see it go in. It was a great feeling.”

Actually, he didn’t see it go in.

“No, I didn’t. I just saw everyone in the stands react,” Larsson said with a smile.

And how did DeBoer react?

“It was a good goal for Lars. He got a puck to the net. A big goal for our team,” DeBoer said matter-of-factly.

Asked if Larsson is playing well in the last two games, DeBoer was annoyed by the question.

“These young guys come into the lineup and after two or three games you want me… I’m not going there,” DeBoer said. “He did a good job (Saturday night). Some of the other guys have done a good job. They’ve got to come up and do that again the next night.”

Larsson admits it has been "really tough" to get win coach's confidence and reiterated how difficult it was to be a healthy scratch in the Devils' first five games and eight of the first nine.

Perhaps his luck is changing, even if his coach won’t say so.

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The Devils, who host the St. Louis Blues Tuesday night, will not practice Sunday.

Rich Chere may be reached at rchere@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Ledger_NJDevils. Find NJ.com on Facebook.