NEWARK, N.J. — Jack Hughes delivered the moment the New Jersey Devils needed most.
With the clock winding down in overtime, Hughes found the back of the net with 1:37 remaining, giving New Jersey a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night in the Devils’ home opener.
Hughes took a pass from Jesper Bratt and snapped a wrist shot past Philadelphia goaltender Joseph Woll, sending the home crowd into celebration.
It was an appropriate finish for a player New Jersey will rely heavily upon this season.
Hughes led the Devils with 77 points last season and finished second on the team with 27 goals despite appearing in only 61 games because of a hand injury. New Jersey struggled without its star center, going 8-13-0 in the 21 games he missed.
The No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft has already established himself as one of the central figures in the Devils’ resurgence, and Thursday night provided another reminder of how important he is to New Jersey’s success.
Hughes also entered the season after leading Team USA to a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics last winter.
Devils Rally to Force Overtime
The game remained tightly contested throughout the night, with Philadelphia twice taking the lead before New Jersey eventually forced overtime.
Interestingly, all four goals scored during regulation came from defensemen.
Philadelphia opened the scoring midway through the first period when Rasmus Ristolainen redirected a shot from Travis Sanheim, putting the Flyers ahead 1-0.
New Jersey answered late in the second.
Dougie Hamilton fired a shot from the point at 17:59, and the puck deflected off the left post before finding the net to tie the game.
The goal also gave Hamilton a significant place in Devils history.
Playing in his 306th game for New Jersey, Hamilton became the second-fastest defenseman in franchise history to reach 200 points. Only Scott Stevens reached the milestone faster, doing so in 250 games.
Flyers Regain the Lead
Philadelphia regained control early in the third period.
Sanheim put the Flyers ahead 2-1 with a slap shot off a pass from Sean Couturier, giving Philadelphia another opportunity to protect a one-goal advantage.
But New Jersey continued to pressure Philadelphia.
At 9:44 of the third period, Luke Hughes tied the game with a snapshot, converting a setup from Luke Evangelista.
The goal sent the game into overtime and gave the Devils a chance to finish the night on home ice.
That’s when Jack Hughes took over.
Hughes Brothers Make Their Mark
The Hughes brothers were central to the Devils’ comeback.
Luke Hughes provided the tying goal in the third period, while Jack Hughes delivered the game-winner in overtime.
For New Jersey, having both players contributing in a meaningful moment was an encouraging sign as the Devils begin a new season with high expectations.
The Devils returned their top eight scorers from last season, when they finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 42-37-3 record and 87 points.
That returning core gives New Jersey continuity, but the team knows its fortunes will be heavily influenced by the health and production of Jack Hughes.
Thursday night, he looked ready for the challenge.
Woll Keeps Flyers in the Game
Philadelphia goaltender Joseph Woll, acquired by the Flyers in an offseason trade with Toronto, turned in an impressive performance despite taking the loss.
Woll stopped 41 of New Jersey’s shots and repeatedly kept the Flyers within striking distance.
Jake Allen made 23 saves for the Devils.
The Flyers entered the game looking to rebound after a difficult opening night, having suffered a 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Philadelphia showed much more fight against New Jersey, but ultimately left Newark with another defeat.
The Flyers will have a chance to respond Saturday when they host Carolina.
The Devils, meanwhile, will take their momentum on the road Saturday for a matchup with the New York Islanders.
For one night, though, New Jersey had exactly what it wanted from its biggest star.
Jack Hughes had the puck on his stick when the game was on the line — and he finished it.
