Jesper Bratt scored twice and added an assist, Vitek Vanecek made 31 saves, and the New Jersey Devils narrowly defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Sunday.
Key Contributions
Erik Haula and Tyler Toffoli also found the net, helping the Devils secure their fifth win in eight games. Luke Hughes contributed two assists.
Wild’s Struggles
Pat Maroon, Ryan Hartman, and Jake Middleton scored for Minnesota, but they are now losing three straight games. Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves in the effort.
Haula’s Impact
Haula broke a 2-2 tie with a high shot past Fleury at 6:54 of the second period, marking his fifth goal of the season and third in two games. He scored twice in Friday’s 5-4 win over Buffalo.
Bratt’s Dominance
Bratt added his second goal on a power play with 3:21 remaining in the second period, giving New Jersey a two-goal lead. This brought his season total to 14 points, and the Devils led the league with 14 power-play goals.
“We’ve been talking about really dialing in, trying to get that first goal,” Bratt said. “Our speed was good today, and we supported each other well.”
Late Push by the Wild
Middleton’s first goal of the season narrowed the gap for the Wild with 4:43 left in the third period. Minnesota had a power play with Fleury pulled for the final 1:37 but failed to capitalize on the two-man advantage.
“Six-on-four, you’ve got to put one in,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “We must find a way to get there when things aren’t going well. It’s tough to come away with no points. We have to see results.”
Game’s Opening Goals
Bratt opened the scoring for the Devils at 6:15 of the first period. Maroon tied it up for the Wild with 5:07 remaining in the opening period, marking his first goal with Minnesota after joining this season from Tampa Bay.
Hartman and Toffoli Exchange Goals
Hartman gave the Wild a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 2:31 of the second period, his sixth of the season. Toffoli then tied the game with a power-play goal at 6:10 of the second, his seventh of the season.
Defensive Stand
Devils coach Lindy Ruff praised his team’s ability to neutralize the Wild’s late-game power play, led by Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello.
“They have a lot of skill on their power play,” Ruff said. “When it came to shot lanes and trying to keep chances to a minimum, I thought we did a good job.”
Upcoming Games
The teams will meet again in Minnesota on Thursday to complete their home-and-home series.
