(Photo : (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)) NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JANUARY 22: Tyler Toffoli #73 of the New Jersey Devils scores the game-winning hattrick objective at 2:35 of additional time in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights at Prudential Center on January 22, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Golden Knights 6-5 in additional time.
The New Jersey Devils have struggled to seek out any momentum all season, however Monday night time’s thrilling 6-5 additional time win over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights might have lastly delivered some.
After knocking off the New York Rangers within the first spherical of final yr’s Stanley Cup playoffs earlier than bowing out in opposition to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Devils entered this season with sky-high expectations.
Those expectations got here alongside as a result of improvement of a star-studded younger core that featured facilities Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, wingers Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, and defensemen Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, John Marino, and Simon Nemec.
The Devils had been a classy decide to win the division over the Rangers and Hurricanes, and lots of threw them out as potential Stanley Cup contenders.
That has not materialized up to now this season, as accidents, poor goaltending, and questionable protection have saved the Devils out of a safe playoff spot for a lot of the season.
Devils Beat the Golden Knights in a Possible Turning Point
Last night time, although, was the sort of win that would flip a whole season round.
Hughes, New Jersey’s greatest participant, has been sidelined with an damage since January 5, and the already-struggling Devils have been combating onerous to remain afloat in his absence.
Since that night time, the Devils have gone 2-4-1, and a date with the reigning Cup champion Golden Knights regarded like a probable second to dip even additional within the standings.
Instead, the Devils began out scorching, with two targets on the finish of the primary interval to take a 2-1 lead. Tyler Toffoli scored rapidly within the second to make it 3-1, however issues fell aside from there.
Vegas scored 4 straight targets to go forward 5-3, however Toffoli struck once more within the remaining seconds of the second interval to make it 5-4.
Down 5-4 in opposition to a powerful defensive group after blowing a multi-goal lead might have been a second the place the group packed it in to attempt once more subsequent time.
Instead, Lazar tied the sport halfway via the third, the Devils saved the Knights off the board.
Toffoli scored an enormous objective midway via the additional time to earn the pivotal additional level within the standings and ship the house crowd right into a frenzy.
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Can the Devils Keep This Momentum Going?
While this win was essential, the Devils are nonetheless solely in a digital tie for the ultimate playoff spot within the East with a robust schedule forward and the uncertainty round Hughes’ well being looming.
The Devils are about to hit the street to tackle a Carolina group that dominated them within the playoffs final season and is effectively forward of them within the standings, and a Tampa Bay group that they’re in that digital tie for the second wild card spot with.
Then the group hits the all-star break, and is greeted by the Colorado Avalanche, a winnable sport at dwelling in opposition to Calgary, and one other street sport in Raleigh in opposition to the Hurricanes.
Of that five-game stretch, the Devils will doubtless solely be favored in a single, and Hughes is not more likely to play in any of these video games.
However, this group is considerably of a sleeping big within the league this season. The expertise is powerful even with Hughes sidelined, and a win like this might spark some key momentum heading into this robust stretch.
The East is weak this season, and higher-seeded groups may very well be licking their lips for a shot at a group like Detroit or the New York Islanders in that final playoff spot.
The Devils, nonetheless, are a group that no person would need to see within the postseason, and the first-place Rangers could be the primary group to fulfill them within the playoffs.
Look out for New Jersey to be a tricky draw if they’ll construct up the momentum they should proper the ship and carry out as their expertise degree suggests they need to.
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