Devils Break Skid with Team Effort
Dougie Hamilton, Tyler Toffoli, and Luke Hughes also found the net as the Devils snapped a two-game losing streak. Jesper Bratt provided three assists, Timo Meier added two, and Akira Schmid made 27 saves for his first win of the season.
“I thought that looked like our club,” said Devils coach Lindy Ruff, celebrating his 100th win with New Jersey. “We created a lot of turnovers, inside shots, and a lot of good opportunities. Our play around the puck was a lot stronger than it has been the first few games.”
Islanders’ Comeback Falls Short
Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat scored twice, while Kyle Palmieri contributed three assists for the Islanders, who saw their two-game win streak snap. Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves.
In overtime, Hughes circled with the puck in the offensive zone, cut to the middle, and fired a shot past Sorokin on the glove side, capitalizing on fresh legs against a tired defense.
“That play started 25 seconds before,” Hughes explained. “(Meier, Dawson Mercer, and John Marino) did a really good job of controlling the puck, and they didn’t let the Islanders cross the red line so they couldn’t change. They had tired guys with bad gaps, and I came on the ice with fresh legs, saw his feet turn, and took the shot.”
Horvat’s Late Equalizer
Horvat tied the game at 4-4 in the final minutes of the third period, crashing the net and scoring on a loose puck with 1:11 remaining.
“It’s a funny one because we’re happy with the point in the sense that we showed resilience and coming back,” said Islanders coach Lane Lambert. “Giving up those goals, we feel like we may have given something away.”
Power Play Dominance
Jack Hughes had given the Devils a 4-3 lead at 4:30 of the third with New Jersey’s fourth power-play goal of the night. Ondrej Palat set up Hughes with a perfect pass for a tap-in.
Toffoli opened the second period with a power-play goal at 21 seconds, giving the Devils a 2-1 lead. Nelson quickly responded to tie it 2-2, but Luke Hughes put New Jersey ahead again with his first goal of the season, a slap shot into the top corner.
“It’s hard coming in as a rookie defenseman, especially on a really good team,” Jack Hughes said of his brother Luke. “It’s not like he is just walking in, and given the minutes, he’s got to earn it. He’s done a really good job. From game four to 40 to 80, he will be a much different player, too.”
Fast-Paced Second Period
Horvat tied the game again at 3-3 with a goal set up by Noah Dobson at 6:10 of the second period. Nelson had opened the scoring for the Islanders in the first period, but Hamilton responded with a one-timer to tie it before the first intermission.
“We got so many skilled players on the ice that you can kind of put anyone out there,” Luke Hughes said of the Devils’ power play. “Dougie (Hamilton) has that big shot and kicked us off. It’s just us making skilled plays.”
Injury Report
Devils captain Nico Hischier did not return for the third period after sustaining an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day.
- Upcoming Games
Devils:Host Montreal on Tuesday night.
slanders:Visit Buffalo on Saturday night.
