Introduction
Last night the New Jersey Devils snapped an 11-game pointless streak against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This courtesy of a 3-1 victory. After a poor first period, the Devils stepped it up and put on a clinic in the final two frames. Jack Hughes’ line collected a total of seven points to help the team improve to 4-1-0 since the COVID-19 layoff.
Recap
First Period
As previously brought up in the introduction, the first period was quite sluggish for the Devils. That was after a hot start though, as Jesper Bratt found Tomas Tatar in the high-slot who deked out Joonas Korpisalo to give the Devils a 1-0 lead just 51 seconds in. Shortly after, Mackenzie Blackwood let in a goal off a weak rebound. Just like that, the game was tied at one a piece. However, after that goal Blackwood was the only reason the game stayed tied as Columbus had 18 shots in the first period. It was a poor one for the Devils as they headed to the locker room disappointed and looking to be better in the second.
Second Period
The Devils didn’t score in this period, but they also didn’t let up a goal. Even though that was the case they probably won the period. It started with great pressure from New Jersey, including a Dawson Mercer shot that rang off the post. Eventually, the pressure got the Devils their first power play of the game. Following that, it was a lot more even with Columbus getting some solid chances that Blackwood had to fight off. Overall though, a good period for the boys in black.
Third Period
So much happened in the third period and most of it was good. The Devils dominated from the drop of the puck. Tatar missed an open net off a great feed from Hughes. Eventually that pressure, again, drew a penalty. This time the Devils capitalized. Hughes layed a perfect dish on the tape of Bratt who buried the puck who got his 10th goal of the season and first power play goal. The goal more importantly though gave the Devils a 2-1 lead in the third.
Moments later Hughes missed an open net, and Bratt lost the puck in his skates on a two-on-one. Mercer hit another post and Subban missed an open net off a fantastic play by Hughes. You think Jack Hughes was a big factor in this period? Well, all of his effort paid off when he sent the puck about 120-feet into an empty net with 1:20 left in the game. The Devils killed off the remainder of the game and won 3-1. Beating Columbus for the first time in regulation since the year, 2017.
Notes
- Jack Hughes came back from Christmas with a hunger. Since the break his team has won four of five. More importantly, Hughes has points in all five games. Not just one point in each game though. Jack has four multi-point games with three of them being three-point games. He has a total of 12-points in his last five and 20 in his last 18 games of the season. I think it’s safe to say at this point that he’s a bonafide superstar.
- Mackenzie Blackwood had his best game in quite a while. After the not so great first goal he let up early on, Mac was perfect. He saved over two and a half goal than expected as well. Overall, a solid night for Blackwood in the black jerseys.
- In a way this was a very, very strange game. That way is the amount of goals scored. Korpisalo and Blackwood were statistically two of the worst goalies in the league coming into last night. So, the fact they each only let up one even-strength goal is ironic.