Jesper Bratt had a goal and three assists, while Jack Hughes scored twice as the New Jersey Devils cruised to a 5-1 victory over the slumping New York Rangers on Monday night.
Jacob Markstrom was stellar in net, stopping 39 shots, as New Jersey earned its fifth win in seven games. Dawson Mercer and Dougie Hamilton also scored, and Luke Hughes contributed two assists for the Devils, who now sit nine points ahead of the Rangers in the Metropolitan Division standings.
Chris Kreider netted the lone goal for New York, spoiling Markstrom’s shutout bid with a power-play tally late in the second period. Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves but suffered his fifth straight loss, dropping to 8-9-1 on the season. The Rangers have now lost six of their last seven games.
Game Highlights
Bratt wasted no time opening the scoring, notching his 12th goal of the season just 1:27 into the game. Mercer followed up at 7:10 of the first period, giving the Devils a 2-0 advantage.
Dougie Hamilton extended the lead with a power-play goal early in the second period. Jack Hughes added two more goals, including another on the power play late in the second, to cap New Jersey’s dominant offensive display.
Takeaways
Rangers: New York dropped to 6-5-1 at Madison Square Garden as they opened a five-game homestand. The Rangers struggle to find consistency, particularly in net, as Shesterkin continues searching for his early-season form.
Devils: With a 17-9-2 record, New Jersey is proving a strong contender after missing the playoffs last season. The team’s power play continues to shine, converting twice in this game.
Key Moment
Markstrom’s back-to-back saves on Adam Fox and Vincent Trocheck during an early second-period Rangers power play kept New York off the board and preserved New Jersey’s momentum.
Key Stat
Jesper Bratt, who assisted on Hamilton’s goal and Hughes’ tallies, leads the Devils with 35 points this season.
Up Next
The Devils return home to host the Seattle Kraken on Friday, while the Rangers continue their homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
