Amidst one of their hottest stretches of the season, the New Jersey Devils (37-32-2, 7th Metropolitan) defeated the Nashville Predators (34-29-9, 5th Central) 4-2 at Bridgestone Arena Thursday night.

First Period

The Devils got out to a strong start in the opening minutes of the game with a few good shifts in the offensive zone. They tested Justus Annunen early with a wraparound try, but were held at bay.

Nashville got their legs under them and came back at New Jersey as the period went on, creating pressure in the Devils’ zone and cycling well. Luke Hughes made a few nice defensive plays throughout the period to break up the Predators’ offense. It was a track meet for much of the first period, with both teams going up the ice to get solid scoring chances. Nashville had the edge in the middle stage of the period, but the Devils held their own.

New Jersey was rewarded for its hard work with the first goal of the game late in the period. The Devils executed a cycle deep in the Predators’ zone, and Jack Hughes blasted a one-timer from the point which Jesper Bratt tipped past Annunen to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.

Nashville may have had more control of the puck in the first period, with a 62.96 Corsi-for percentage (CF%) and a 61.96 expected goal percentage (xG%), but the Devils weathered the storm and went into the first intermission with the lead.

Second Period

Nashville opened the second period with a grade-A opportunity, as the Devils fell asleep and let Luke Evangelista get behind everyone. Jacob Markström stood tall, however, and got a piece of the shot with his glove.

The Predators gifted New Jersey its first power play opportunity of the night when they got called for too many men on the ice. The Devils couldn’t capitalize, only managing two shots on goal. 

The Devils came out of the man-advantage with momentum, buzzing in the offensive zone. Nico Hischier scored the Devils’ second goal of the night with Nashville under pressure, doing what he does best by getting in front of the net and tipping a Jesper Bratt shot from the half wall.

But the two-goal lead didn’t last long, as Nashville caught New Jersey in a line change, allowing Reid Schaefer to get in behind the defense and score.

It didn’t take long for Nashville to score again, as the Devils’ defense broke down and Steven Stamkos beat Markström one-on-one. The referees did likely miss a Stamkos slash on Simon Nemec earlier in the play, however, which led to the chain of events leading up to the goal. Nevertheless, Nashville made it a 2-2 game.

The Devils were more in control in the second period, posting a 56.97 CF% and a 59.1 xG% at five-on-five, but Nashville proved to be the more opportunistic team, outscoring them 2-1.

Third Period

The Predators got an early power play a few minutes into the third period off a Jonas Siegenthaler tripping call. They cycled well and put the Devils under pressure, but they couldn’t score with the man advantage.

The Devils gained the momentum coming out of the kill and had a solid shift in the offensive zone. Jesper Bratt put on a playmaking show, and Timo Meier nearly stuffed it in on the backhand.

Nashville came back at the Devils with a strong offensive shift of their own. Luke Hughes saved the game for the Devils, blocking what would have been a sure goal for Stamkos on a wide-open net to keep the game tied.

The Devils got back-to-back power plays midway through the third period. They looked good on the first one, but didn’t score. The second power play, however, yielded the go-ahead goal, another tip-in from Nico Hischier off a Jack Hughes wrist shot.

Desperate for the win, Nashville made a valiant last stand with the goalie pulled, caving the Devils in and threatening to tie the game. New Jersey managed to break out, and Timo Meier scored the empty-netter to ice it.

It was another strong period for the Devils, who notched a 64.29 CF% and a 75.05 xG% at five-on-five.

Results

The Devils’ offense continued to roll against Nashville, even if they lost control at times. It says something that New Jersey got the better of a Predators team in need of wins as the Western Conference playoff race goes down to the wire. It was another strong night for the Devils, who have won five of their last six games. 

For the Predators, Thursday night represents a missed opportunity to bank a win against a team that isn’t in serious playoff contention. They remain just ahead of Los Angeles and Seattle for the final wild card spot in the West.

Game Notes

• Luke Hughes had an excellent night defensively, breaking up more than his fair share of plays to keep the Devils in the game. His most impressive play was his block on Steven Stamkos, which kept the game tied and directly led to the Devils’ win. He finished with a Game Score of 1.72. 
• The Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier trio drove the Devils’ offense Thursday night, and good things tend to happen when those three are rolling. Hischier tipped in two goals, Jesper Bratt tipped in one of his own and added an assist, while Hughes notched two assists on goals that Bratt and Hischier tipped.
• Steven Stamkos’ fingerprints were all over Thursday night’s game. He scored the game-tying goal for Nashville on a controversial, but well-executed play. He also had a ton of other high-danger chances, proving to be a thorn in the Devils’ side.

Up Next

The Devils will finish their road trip against the Carolina Hurricanes this Saturday at 5:pm PM ET.