The New Jersey Devils (20-18-2) finally got back into the win column. After a third period surge, the Devils mounted a comeback to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets (17-16-6) on New Year’s Eve. This was the second time the Devils have scored more than one goal in the last six games.
Game Recap
First Period
The Devils got off to the start that everyone wanted to see. They tested Jett Greaves early and even saw Jack Hughes grab himself a breakaway. They couldn’t break the ice and predictably so the Blue Jackets grabbed the first goal of the game.
A Kiril Marchenko shot caused a rebound and newly acquired Mason Marchment punched home the rebound to give the Jackets a 1-0 lead. The Devils got their looks, but couldn’t tie things up. Marchment got a great look at the end of the period, but Jake Allen stood tall and kept it 1-0 going into the second period.
All but two minutes were played at five-on-five. The shot attempts were dead even at 20 each, but the Devils held the edge in shots on goal (10-8). High danger chances were at a minimum for each team during the first period.
Second Period
It was not for a lack of effort. The Devils kept pressing and striving to get their looks against Greaves. The Blue Jackets became aggressive, causing plenty of turnovers and even saw Charlie Coyle dart in on a breakaway. Nothing came of it. The Devils struggled to generate any offense off the rush and struggled through the neutral zone this period. Jake Allen came up large once again. With the Blue Jackets entering the zone three against two, a cross-ice pass by Ivan Provorov found Boone Jenner who got robbed with the left pad.
With amounts of pressure on the Devils, the Blue Jackets extended the lead. With Donte Fabbro causing a turnover, he threw the puck on net causing a rebound. Charlie Coyle lifted the puck over Allen to make it 2-0. The Devils did not opt to challenge, so on they played. When the horn sounded, the Devils found themselves down 2-0 and haven’t scored a goal in their last five periods played.
The Blue Jackets controlled the pace of the period. They out-attempted the Devils 28-17 and outshot the Devils 18-12. What was glaring is the scoring chances, as the Blue Jackets generated 19 to the Devils’ four.
Third Period
The Devils finally broke the dam and in the first three minutes of the opening period. It came on the power play. After winning the faceoff, the puck corralled to Luke Hughes, who fired a harmless shot towards the net and was deflected by Nico Hischier for his 11th of the season and first goal in 14 games.
In less than a minute, the Devils tied the game. A nifty pass through the slot by Timo Meier found the stick of Arseny Gritsyuk, who fired a shot top shelf over Greaves to tie the game.
The scoring barrage continued and in less than two minutes the Devils grabbed their third goal in a row. After winning the ensuing faceoff, the puck was controlled in the corner by Connor Brown. Brown fired a blind pass that found a wide open Luke Hughes. Hughes ripped a shot short side and the Devils grabbed their first lead of the game.
The Devils contained the pressure the Jackets were generating and even killed off a late power play. The Devils used this surge to comeback and win the game 3-2.
Wrap Up
The Blue Jackets used a strong second period to get out to a 2-0 lead. Goals by Mason Marchment and Charlie Coyle helped give them the lead. However, three goals in less than two minutes propelled the Devils to victory. Luke Hughes had a multi point game, Arseny Gritsyuk ended his point drought (four games), and Nico Hischier scored his first goal in 14 games.
Game Notes
- Luke Hughes had a monstrous third period, as he had one goal and an assist. He had the fourth highest Corsi-for percentage (CF%) with 52.42 and also the highest individual expected goals with 1.42. He was huge in mounting the comeback.
- Huge game for Jake Allen. He finished the game with 2.50 goals saved above expected, a .944 save percentage, and did well in the high danger areas of the ice.
What’s Next?
The Devils return home Saturday to take on the Utah Mammoth for the final time this season.