Hughes Late Goal Lifts Devils Past Rangers 3-2 in Preseason
The short version
- Jack Hughes scored the game-winner at 17:48 of the third period in a 3-2 Devils preseason win over the Rangers
- Nico Hischier and Timo Meier also scored for New Jersey; Anton Blidh and Drew Fortescue replied for New York
- Rangers forward Adam Sykora exited with a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return
- Jake Allen and Nico Daws split the goaltending duties for the Devils
Jack Hughes scored the game-winner with 2:12 left in the third period as New Jersey beat rival New York at Prudential Center.
The New Jersey Devils opened their preseason rivalry slate with a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers at Prudential Center on September 21. New Jersey dressed most of its NHL roster, while the Rangers leaned heavily on younger players and AHL call-ups.
After a scoreless first period in which Jake Allen faced just three shots, Nico Hischier deflected a shot past Dylan Garand midway through the second to put the Devils ahead. Anton Blidh answered for New York, but Timo Meier wrapped the puck in five-hole after Garand lost track of the play behind the net, sending New Jersey to the intermission up 2-1.
Drew Fortescue pulled the Rangers even in the third with a screened shot that beat Nico Daws, who had replaced Allen in goal. The Devils killed a subsequent hooking penalty on Arseny Gritsyuk, and Jesper Boqvist nearly scored shorthanded on a breakaway that struck the post.
The decisive goal came at 17:48 of the third period. After a long shift by the Hischier line forced an icing, Jack Hughes took a pass from Jesper Bratt at the blueline, drove wide, and banked the puck in off Glen Gawdin's stick to make it 3-2.
Rangers forward Adam Sykora left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury after a hit from defenseman Mikael Diotte along the boards and did not return. New Jersey finished with just under two-thirds of the shots on goal and expected goals at even strength.
