In the preseason finale for both teams, the New Jersey Devils (3-0-1 preseason) beat the New York Islanders (1-3-0 preseason) 4-1 at UBS Arena Saturday night. A combination of undisciplined play by the Islanders and two goals from Luke Evangelista put the game out of reach early for New Jersey.

Game Summary

The Devils were solid in the first period, frustrating the Islanders by not allowing a shot on goal until halfway through the period. Luke Evangelista broke the ice at 6:13 with a power play goal, corralling a feed from Luke Hughes in front of the crease and firing it past Illya Sorokin. Both teams received two penalties in the first period, but only the Devils capitalized. The Devils dominated five-on-five play too, earning a 73.68 Corsi-for percentage (CF%).

New Jersey scored two quick goals to start the second period, sucking the life out of UBS arena. Arseny Gritsyuk pounced on a broken breakout play by New York, rushing in and scoring before the Islanders had a chance to regroup. 

Less than a minute later, Luke Evangelista scored his second goal of the night, knocking a rebound of a deflected shot past a stunned Sorokin to give the Devils a 3-0 lead. New Jersey continued to dominate throughout the period, forcing the Islanders to take multiple long shifts that left them exhausted and unable to mount a counterattack. They got one power play opportunity in the second period, but the Devils stymied them.

Dougie Hamilton scored later in the period to blow the game open, marching in undefended and snapping one in. The Devils were in control, allowing just ten shots on goal through two.

The Islanders played a tighter game in the third period, but New Jersey all but parked the bus to secure the win. The Isles did manage to notch one tally on the scoreboard, though. Simon Holmstrom scored New York’s only goal of the night at 15:21, assisted by Bo Horvat and former Devil Kyle Palmieri. Despite that hiccup, New Jersey sealed an easy 4-1 win.

Wrap Up

Overall, the Devils played a clean and efficient game Saturday. In their final preseason game, New Jersey showed that they are in regular season form. They’ll want to translate this effort into some key Metropolitan matchups early in the season.

Game Notes

• The Devils’ newcomers shone Saturday night, and throughout preseason. Luke Evangelista scored twice, while Evan Rodrigues tallied two assists. Amadeus Lombardi also made his mark when he got a one-on-one chance with Sorokin, but didn’t find the scoresheet. He’s in line to make the team, however, after a solid preseason.
• New Jersey’s penalty kill was lights-out, stopping all four of New York’s power plays. With the Devils dominating at five-on-five, those penalties could have turned the tide of the game, but the killers locked it down and prevented the Islanders from forcing themselves into the game.
• Jake Allen played a good game in goal, though he didn’t face too many shots. He stopped 14-of-15 shots on goal for a .933 save percentage. Allen will be a true number one goalie in the NHL for the first time since 2019, and last night was a positive sign that he can handle the role.

Up Next

The Devils will open their season against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Prudential Center on Thursday at 7:00 pm ET.