The New Jersey Devils triumphed in the highly anticipated “Hughes Bowl” on Tuesday night, as Jesper Bratt scored his second goal of the game with just 34 seconds left, leading to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
Battle of the Hughes Brothers
Jack Hughes contributed a goal and two assists, while his younger brother Luke Hughes scored on a power play for the Devils. Their older brother, Quinn Hughes of the Canucks, notched two assists in the third period, helping Vancouver rally from a three-goal deficit to tie the game.
The game was dubbed the “Hughes Bowl,” highlighting the matchup between Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and his brothers, Devils center Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes. Their parents, Jim Hughes and Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, were in attendance.
“I always enjoy playing Quinn and seem to have good games in Vancouver against him,” Jack Hughes said. “It was a nice win and fun playing with my brothers.”
Quinn Hughes had mixed feelings about the experience.
“It’s bittersweet right now,” he said. “I’m sure they appreciate it more than I do now.”
Game Highlights
Erik Haula and Michael McLeod also scored for the Devils, while J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Nils Hoglander, Sam Lafferty, and Dakota Joshua scored for the Canucks.
Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko made 26 saves, and New Jersey’s Vitek Vanecek stopped 28 shots.
Third Period Comeback
The Canucks, down by three goals heading into the third period, staged a dramatic comeback with significant contributions from Quinn Hughes. Boeser scored first, followed by Lafferty and Hollander, who tied the game at 16:34.
Bratt’s game-winning goal came from a rebound through traffic, emphasizing the Devils’ resilience.
“It shows how strong we are as a group that we believe in ourselves,” Bratt said. “We knew it was possible to make a difference and come away with the two points.”
Canucks coach Rick Tocchet critiqued his team’s defense on the winning goal.
“I still don’t understand where our guys were going on that play,” Tocchet said. “You can blame all five guys on the ice for that.”
Key Contributions
Jack and Luke Hughes combined for the only goal in the second period, giving the Devils a 5-2 lead. Jack Hughes noted his familiarity with the Canucks’ playstyle.
“I have a pretty good read on how they play,” he said. “I think what happened was we got to play our game early, and they had to take a few chances.”
Devils coach Lindy Ruff praised the Hughes brothers for their contributions.
“We know that Jack can generate, and we know what Luke can do from the back end,” Ruff said. “I thought Jack’s line helped get us going.”
Historical Context
This game marked the ninth instance in NHL history where three brothers played the same game. The previous occurrence was on April 13, involving the Staal brothers.
Upcoming Games
- Devils: Visit the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
- Canucks: Host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
