NEWARK, N.J. — Dougie Hamilton snapped a third-period tie, Vitek Vanecek made 32 saves and the New Jersey Devils beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Thursday night time within the season opener for every workforce.
Hamilton beat Ville Husso with a blast from the purpose at 15:37, serving to the Devils choose up the place they left off final season once they completed with 112 factors.
“I didn’t score in preseason and was thinking, you never know, it could take 10 games to score,” Hamilton stated. ”Luckily sufficient, I received one previous the display and an enormous aim for us.”
Jack Hughes scored twice within the second interval for New Jersey, and Jonas Siegenthaler had three assists.
“Definitely not our ‘A game’ but a win is a win and come January, it’ll just be two points so we want to get off on the right foot, especially with all the noise and it was good for our fans,” Hughes stated. ”For us to come back out and win and that’s crucial.”
Erik Haula made it 4-2 with an empty-net aim at 18:29, and Detroit’s Robby Fabbri scored at 19:26.
PHOTOS: Hamilton scores winner, Jack Hughes provides two as Devils down Red Wings 4-3
Alex DeBrincat and Daniel Sprong additionally scored for the Red Wings. DeBrincat, a Michigan native, was acquired in a July commerce with Ottawa.
After Sprong broke a scoreless tie 12:14 into the second, Hughes responded on a New Jersey energy play at 13:39. The 22-year-old middle managed to whip the puck in from a tough angle under the aim line on the left wing.
Hughes then snapped the puck previous Husso from the excessive slot at 18:43 to provide the Devils the lead.
Hughes, who led the Devils with 43 objectives and 99 factors final season, heard chants of “MVP! MVP!” from the raucous crowd at Prudential Center after his second aim. The high total choose within the 2019 draft completed eighth in Hart Trophy voting final season.
“A little premature, but you can’t be too upset about that,” Hughes stated of the supportive opening-night refrain.
Hughes was penalized for slashing 9:45 into the third, resulting in a tying aim by DeBrincat at 10:43. DeBrincat had 27 objectives and a career-best 39 assists in his solely season with Ottawa.
“I thought we turned the game in the second period,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff stated. ”That wasn’t by any means a Picasso.”
Vanecek, a revelation for the Devils final season when he gained 33 video games, made his finest save at 8:13 of the second, denying Andrew Copp on the doorstep after Copp accepted a cross from Sprong on a 2-on-1 break.
The groups performed a spirited first interval with Detroit outshooting the Devils 14-6. Both groups had two power-play possibilities within the opening interval.
“It was a great start. We could have scored three or four,” stated the 28-year-old Husso, who’s in his second season with the Red Wings. ”We need to get video games like this to show into wins.”
After a 49-point enchancment in 2022-23, the speedy Devils downed the rival Rangers in seven video games within the first spherical of the playoffs final spring earlier than falling to the Carolina Hurricanes within the second spherical.
The Red Wings completed final season with 35 wins and 80 factors, their most since 2015-16 when Detroit final made the playoffs.
“We’ll take the first and third but the second period just got away from us with turnovers,″ Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “Husso made some big saves. They are a fast team that gets chances. And they got chances.”
SPIRITED GREETING
Devils coach Lindy Ruff, who signed a multiyear contract extension on Wednesday, acquired one of many loudest ovations throughout pregame introductions at Prudential Center. The 63-year-old Ruff, who’s fifth on the NHL profession checklist with 835 teaching wins, led the Devils to their first postseason collection win since 2012.
WORTH NOTING
The Devils are 23-10-4-4 in season-opening video games and are 14-3-2-3 when opening a season at dwelling. … New Jersey scratched defensemen Chris Tierney and Colin Miller and ahead Nathan Bastian. … Detroit scratched defenseman Olli Maatta and goaltender Alex Lyon.
UP NEXT
Devils: Host the Arizona Coyotes on Friday.
Red Wings: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com