NHL

DEVILS CAN’T AFFORD TO LOOK BACK

It may sound overzealous, but the first-place Devils are looking for consistency.

In a conference where eight points separates second place from 12th, Newark’s new favorite sons are atop the Atlantic Division with 49 points (second in the conference) but are taking nothing for granted.

In their rear-view mirror are all four divisional rivals – the Penguins, Rangers, Flyers and Islanders – with only five points separating the division leaders from cellar dwellers (Isles).

With eight games left before the All-Star break, and coming off a tough 4-3 loss up in Boston on Saturday, the Devils are trying to keep an even keel going into tonight’s home matchup against the Sabres, as well as for the remainder of the first half.

“Every night is important because if you lose one game it can catch up to you,” John Madden said. “The standings are so tight we can’t afford to make too many mistakes.”

After the first 19 games of the season when they were 7-10-2 and found themselves in last place, the Devils haven’t made too many mistakes. On Nov. 17 they started a nine-game winning streak that catapulted them to the top of the division. In their last 22 games, they have only lost five games in regulation.

“Up to this point in the season, we have done pretty [well],” Patrick Elias said. “We just have to keep playing the same way and be consistent. All of us as a team, and not just individually, our consistency has to be better.”

One point of consistency that has been fleeting is the Devils’ power play. They rank above only four teams in the NHL, converting on 14.1 percent of their chances.

“At the beginning of the year we said [the power play] is a big part of the game now and can decide a game either way,” Elias said. “Our special teams have to get better, obviously.”

If that happens, the teams nipping at the Devils’ heels might as well wave goodbye.

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Winger Jay Pandolfo skated for a third day in a row yesterday, the first time he’s done that since injuring his groin on Nov. 28 against Dallas.

“It’s a good sign to skate three days in a row,” Pandolfo said, “but I’m still a long way from playing hockey.”

Defenseman Karel Rachunek returned to practice yesterday after suffering an right ankle injury during a Dec. 21 game in Edmonton. He’s listed as day-to-day.

bcyrgalis@nypost.com