Timo Meier has finally started delivering for the New Jersey Devils, and his timing couldn’t be better with the season on the line.
Meier scored three goals and added an assist on an empty-netter by Erik Haula, leading the Devils to a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. This win marked New Jersey interim coach Travis Green’s first triumph since taking over for Lindy Ruff earlier this week.
“Winning is a lot more fun, and now we have to keep this feeling,” Meier said after the Devils snapped a three-game losing streak and secured their fourth win in 11 games. “We’ve got to work on our game and keep building. We have enough games left where we believe we can still make a big push for the playoffs.”
The Devils are six points out of a wild-card playoff spot with 19 games remaining in the regular season, and they need to string together wins soon.
Starting strong in this game helped, but the team has not won more than three consecutive games all season.
“It was definitely a good 60-minute game,” Green said. “We emphasized defensive commitment and playing a 200-foot game. As games tighten up, you must be committed to playing that way.”
Meier’s linemates Nico Hischier and Ondrej Palat each had two assists in his first hat trick since joining the Devils in February 2023. Nico Daws made 23 saves for New Jersey, which lost 5-3 to Florida on Tuesday in Green’s debut game.
Brandon Saad scored for the Blues, who have now lost two straight and remain outside a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Jordan Binnington made 29 saves.
Blues interim coach Drew Bannister criticized his team for their weak start.
“We can’t think we’re good enough to fall behind 2-0 and still win, no matter how much time is left,” Bannister said.
Meier gave the Devils a 3-1 lead over the first two periods. He scored with a backhander on a power play at 13:24. Less than three minutes later, he netted his 16th of the season on a cross-ice pass from Palat.
Saad cut the deficit at 9:03 of the second period, but the 27-year-old Meier completed his hat trick with a shot from the right circle.
Meier was allowed to play down low on the power play because the Devils held out Tyler Toffoli (26 goals) as a precaution ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.
“He’s a big part of the group, and getting him going is crucial,” Green said of Meier. “It’s been a bit rocky for him sometimes, but he’s starting to feel better about his game.”
Fans at the Prudential Center celebrated Meier’s hat trick by tossing hats on the ice and chanting his name.
It was a mixed day for Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. The 29-year-old signed a two-year, $3 million contract extension but was fined $2,000 for his second violation of the NHL’s rule against diving and embellishment.
UP NEXT
- Blues: Finish their New York area trip against the Rangers on Saturday.
- Devils: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
