Jack Hughes delivered the go-ahead goal and two assists, helping the New Jersey Devils snap the Los Angeles Kings’ six-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory on Thursday night.
Hughes scored his 12th goal of the season with 7:02 remaining in the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie. Ondrej Palat and Brett Pesce also found the back of the net for New Jersey, which ended a two-game skid.
The Kings struck first late in the second period when defenseman Jordan Spence one-timed a pass from Alex Laferriere past Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The goal, assisted by Laferriere and Phillip Danault, put Los Angeles up 1-0 with 3:19 left.
Palat answered for the Devils just over two minutes later, tying the game at 1-1 with help from Hughes and Jesper Bratt.
Pesce sealed the victory with a short-handed goal — his first as a Devil — with 2:43 left in regulation. Markstrom made 12 saves to improve his record to 14-6-2 this season, while David Rittich stopped 23 shots for Los Angeles.
Takeaways
Kings: Los Angeles had allowed two or fewer goals in each game during its six-game winning streak but struggled to keep the Devils off the board late in the contest.
Devils: Hughes continued his standout season with 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists). Bratt remains the team leader with 39 points, including 13 goals.
Key Moment
Kings forward Alex Turcotte missed a critical penalty shot at 11:01 of the second period, sending the puck high and wide.
Key Stat
New Jersey improved to 8-6-3 at home this season, complementing their strong 11-4-0 road record.
Up Next
The Devils host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon, while the Kings travel across the Hudson River to face the New York Rangers.
