Monday, the New Jersey Devils won their second straight preseason game, 3-2, at home against the New York Rangers. Jack Hughes scored the winning goal in the final minutes to take the win.

The lineups featured most of the Devils’ regulars, however, the Rangers ran a lineup with several reserve/AHL players.

Recap

Period One

The first period was a relatively quiet one for both sides. Jake Allen got the nod in net for New Jersey, and he was rock solid in the one period he played. Rookie goaltender Dylan Garand started for the Rangers and he made some great saves in this game, including one on Stefan Noesen in the first period. The Devils got a power play at the end of the first period, but couldn’t capitalize as time expired.

Period Two

The second period was where the Devils started to pull away in the shot counter, and it eventually led to a goal. Nico Hischier threw the puck towards the net and it deflected off a Rangers defender and in. A fortunate bounce that made it 1-0 New Jersey.

The Rangers were able to come back the other way and tie the game shortly after. Nico Daws, who came into the game to replace Allen, let up a shot from distance off the stick of Anton Blidh.

The Devils were able to take the lead back in the final minute of the second period off the stick of Timo Meier. The newest Devil, Luke Evangelista, freed up the puck behind the net, and allowed Meier to quickly wrap the puck around and in, past a surprised Garand. New Jersey led 2-1 after two.

Period Three

The third period saw a plethora of great chances for the Devils, however it was the Rangers who would tie the game. Drew Fortescue, a 21-year old defenseman and 2023 third-round draft pick, ripped a shot top shelf past Daws to even the score once again.

A few minutes later, while shorthanded, Jesper Boqvist found himself on a breakaway.

The second-time Devil beat Garand, but couldn’t beat the post as the game stayed tied. As time wound down New Jersey kept applying pressure, and eventually, after a long shift in the offensive zone, they were able to take the lead for the third time. Jack Hughes found himself one-on-one in tight against Garand where he tucked the puck five-hole and in from below the goal line.

That tally would stand as the game-winner as the Devils took their second preseason game 3-2. New Jersey outshot the Rangers 31-18.

Game Notes

New Hughes Line

One of the questions among Devils fans going into Monday’s game was how the new-look Hughes line would perform. The answer: they were great. As a group the trio had a Corsi-for percentage (CF%) of 68.0 and an expected goals percentage (xG%) of 65.5. Anthony Mantha led the way individually with a CF% of 70 and xG% of 72.86, both team-highs. Don’t forget the line contributed the game-winning goal too. It was a good day for the Devils top line.

The Daws’ Questions

While Jake Allen is going to be the team’s starting goaltender opening night, the question of who will be backing him up has been lingering all summer. The last few days may have given some clarity on the situation.

Simply looking at game performance, David Rittich was significantly better than Nico Daws. On Sunday, Rittich allowed one goal on 24 shots, stopping 1.82 goals above expected. Meanwhile, the Monday night, Nico Daws in just two periods allowed two goals on 15 shots, stopping 0.63 goals below expected.

It’s hard to say how things will play out during the rest of camp, but it certainly seems like Rittich should be the frontrunner for the backup job next Thursday.

What’s Next

The Devils next preseason game will be 7:00 pm ET this Thursday, on the road against the New York Rangers.