Jesper Bratt delivered another stellar performance with a goal and two assists, marking his second consecutive three-point game, as the New Jersey Devils staged a comeback to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Thursday night.
Bratt ignited the rally by tying the game at 2 with his 19th season goal at 6:50 of the third period. Just 1:35 later, he assisted on Simon Nemec’s first goal of the season, giving New Jersey the lead. Brett Pesce also contributed a goal, while goaltender Jake Allen stood strong with 31 saves, including 18 in the final period.
Leon Draisaitl netted his league-leading 47th goal for Edmonton, while Evan Bouchard scored. Connor McDavid provided two assists, but the Oilers suffered their second consecutive defeat and have now lost eight of their last 11 games.
Game Takeaways
Oilers: Draisaitl extended his impressive point streak to 16 games. Stuart Skinner made 18 saves but struggled in the third period, stopping just four of six shots.
Devils: On the same day New Jersey announced that star defenseman Dougie Hamilton would miss the rest of the regular season, two defensemen known more for their defensive play stepped up offensively. Nemec’s goal marked just the fourth of his two-season career, while Pesce’s tally was his third of the season and second in his last five games.
Key Moment
Trailing 2-1 in the third period, Bratt sent a shot through traffic that found its way past Skinner to even the score. Moments later, he assisted on Nemec’s powerful shot from the blue line that gave New Jersey the lead for good.
Key Stat
The Devils notched their 14th comeback victory of the season and improved to 23-5-3 when scoring first.
Looking Ahead
The Oilers continue their road trip with a matchup against the New York Islanders on Friday night, while the Devils will visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
