Down 1-0 with just over two minutes remaining in the first period, Fabian Zetterlund’s tip of a clinical stretch pass by Dougie Hamilton walked Jack Hughes in alone on Collin Delia. Hughes used a quick fake to get Delia to go down then glided past the goalie and deposited the puck in the open net to knot the game at one. The crowd erupted in response and chants of “MVP, MVP, MVP” cascaded down from the rafters.
Jack Hughes (@jhugh86) FLIES in for his 34th goal of the year! 😈 pic.twitter.com/18GP6hfKwc
— NHL (@NHL) February 7, 2023
Mid-way through the second period the Devils exploded. Ondrej Palat and Hughes found the back of the net a combined three times in 50 seconds to quickly expand the Devils lead to 4-1 and it seemed the rout was on. Unfortunately for the Devils, this was not the same early season Canucks who had all but given up on a tumultuous season.
The @NJDevils strike three times in only 50 seconds — including two from Ondrej Palat 28 seconds apart! 👏 pic.twitter.com/Wjo8VUbJUO
— NHL (@NHL) February 7, 2023
After the morning skate Coach Lindy Ruff indicated that teams with new coaches and personnel can be dangerous because they are recharged and looking to win each other over. “I always feel that these games are some of the toughest games to play in.”
He was not wrong. The Canucks battled back into the game scoring twice in the second to cut the lead to 4-3. The final goal a backbreaker with just over 26 seconds in the period and coming right on the heels of a blown 2-on-1 where Jesper Bratt passed up a shot to try to feed Palat for an opportunity at a hat trick.
The Devils had to be confident heading into the third period. They were still ahead and were 21-0-1 when entering the third with a lead. It took just about six minutes for the lead to fully evaporate as Phil DiGiuseppe scored his first NHL goal on a 2-on-1 rush after Hamilton was trapped in the offensive zone. A backchecking Hughes was unable to recover fast enough to cut off DiGuiseppe at the back post.
Phil Di Giuseppe's first goal as a Canuck is a memorable one to tie this game up! ☝️ pic.twitter.com/TlXNbEvYJc
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 7, 2023
Opportunities abounded for the Devils in the third. Vancouver entered the game as the 32nd ranked penalty kill in a league of 32 teams (per NHL.com) Shortly after the tying goal, the Devils would have a 5-on-3 power play but were unable to capitalize and only mustered one shot on goal and headed into overtime for the sixth time in their last seven games.
In overtime, the teams traded opportunities with the most tantalizing being a Jack Hughes breakaway ultimately thwarted by his older brother Quinn. After the game Hughes lamented being tracked down by Quinn.
"Of course it’s got to be him," Hughes said about his brother tracking him down. " I think I was at the end of my shift, he was at the start of his. I know if this was summertime, I’d blow right past him.”
The break they needed came the Devils were able to draw a powerplay when Andrei Kuzmenko hooked Jesper Bratt with just under two minutes to play. In the past few games it has been Hamilton's shot that ended the game, but this time Bratt played the hero with a rocket one-timer off a no-look, royal road pass from Hughes.
all it takes is a one-timer from BRATT!!
the DEVILS WIN!!! pic.twitter.com/MdXIovjzxw
— Devils on MSG (@DevilsMSGN) February 7, 2023
Despite the roar of the crowd, the on ice jubilance dissipated in a more somber post game. This was not the same revelatory locker room as after overtime wins over the Rangers and Penguins.
"I'm happy we won and that's how far I'll go," Ruff said in the post-game.
He cited poor power play execution, missed defensive coverages, and an overall failure to be detailed. Saying it wasn't simply fatigue, but an overall breakdown with physical, mental, and detail related errors.
He indicated that there were maybe a few players whose games he was happy with but the majority of the team did not play well. Ruff felt "lucky" to win and that Vancouver dominated the last ten minutes. Ultimately, he chalked it up to the return after a long layoff and predicted there would be several unhappy coaches with the results of the night throughout the league.
The team's signature all year has been finding unique ways to win, especially when not having its best game. Monday was a perfect example. The team will need to be much more detailed if they want to beat the Pacific Division leading Kraken on Thursday.
Notes
- The Devils' three goals in 50 seconds is the quickest span of three goals this season in the entire NHL
- Jack Hughes extended his career high point scoring streak to nine games. In that streak he has 18 points (9G, 9A)
- Jack also extended a career high five game multi-point game streak which ties a franchise record.
- Hughes now has 35 goals and 67 points on the season and is on a pace to obliterate the Devils's single season goals and points records held by Brian Gionta (48) & Patrick Elias (97) respectively. Hughes is six goals and 17 points ahead of where Gionta and Elias were at the end of 50 games.
- Dougie Hamilton extended his point streak to five games, it was his second game of the year with three assists.
- Hamilton is one point away from tying his career high in points (50). His next assist will tie his high in that mark as well. (37)
- With two assists, Fabian Zetterlund now has 5 career multipoint games in 51 games played
- The Vitek ran his personal win streak to ten games, extending the longest in franchise history to not be held by Martin Brodeur.
- The Vitek's 22nd win on the season set a new career high
- This was Jack Hughes's fifth three point game of the season.
- Bratt's goal was his third game winning goal of the season and 15th of his career.
- This was the Devils' eighth overtime win of the season, one shy of a franchise record.
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