Jack Hughes netted his second goal of the game just 20 seconds into overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Friday night.
Hughes’ decisive goal deflected off the stick of Dallas’ Tyler Seguin and slipped past Jake Oettinger, completing the Devils’ comeback from a 2-0 deficit. The Devils now boast an NHL-best 19-3-2 road record this season.
“Just shoot the puck,” said Hughes, the top pick in the 2019 draft, who will represent New Jersey at next week’s All-Star game in Florida. “Sometimes you get the luck.”
Dougie Hamilton assisted on both of Hughes’ goals. Hughes has scored 33 goals this season, with 26 coming in his last 30 games.
“You can see he’s something special,” Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek said of Hughes. “It’s great watching him.”
Miles Wood also scored, and Vanecek made 33 saves, including several point-blank stops, to extend his personal winning streak to a career-best nine straight games.
The Devils, who are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, managed a split of their road back-to-back after losing 6-4 to Nashville on Thursday night. Five of New Jersey’s last six games have gone into overtime.
Roope Hintz and Ty Dellandrea scored for the Stars, who have now lost three consecutive games, all by a 3-2 score in overtime.
Oettinger stopped 26 shots for the Stars, who are experiencing their first three-game losing streak of the season (0-1-2). This is also the first time Dallas has played three consecutive games beyond regulation since March 2018.
The Devils are 7-3 in overtime this season, while the Stars are 2-8. Last season, Dallas had a 10-4 overtime record.
“Sometimes when things start happening like this over time, you start thinking about it maybe a little too much instead of just going out and playing,” Seguin said.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer will lead the Central Division squad at the All-Star game.
“I’ll go sit in a dark corner somewhere in Florida and try to figure out this overtime thing,” he said. “We created enough chances to win that game 4-2. You’ve got to give their goalie credit.”
Dellandrea’s opening goal came at 10:50 of the first period. He spun and lifted the puck toward the crease. It struck Erik Haula’s right skate and dribbled past Vanecek into the net.
Hintz’s goal, his 20th of the season and 100th of his NHL career came five seconds into a 5-on-3 power play after a Dallas timeout, giving the Stars a 2-0 lead at 16:44. He blasted a one-timer from the right circle off a faceoff win.
The Devils quickly answered with two goals in the first four minutes of the second period. Hughes scored on a breakaway, converting a two-line outlet pass just 65 seconds into the period. Wood then scored on a transition play during a Dallas line change.
Wood ended a 19-game goal drought. His only two goals in his last 34 games have come against Dallas.
GONE FISHIN’
Both teams head into their All-Star breaks. The Stars lead the Western Conference in points and the Central Division by three points over the Winnipeg Jets, who have one game in hand. The Devils are second in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who also have a game in hand.
UP NEXT
- Devils: Host Vancouver on Feb. 6 in their first game following the All-Star break.
- Stars: Continue their homestand against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 6.
