Hughes Strikes Twice, Hellebuyck Wins Home Debut as Devils Edge Oilers in a Shootout
New Jersey handed Edmonton its first road loss of the season, 4-3, on a night that doubled as Connor Hellebuyck's first home start since the blockbuster trade.
It took a shootout, but the Devils beat the Oilers 4-3 at Prudential Center on Tuesday — handing Edmonton its first road loss of the season and giving Connor Hellebuyck a win in his first home start since the trade that reshaped both his career and New Jersey's ambitions, per New Jersey Hockey Now.
Hughes in a hurry
After Evan Bouchard opened the scoring for Edmonton in the first, Connor Brown tied it midway through the second — and then Jack Hughes took over, scoring twice in under a minute to put New Jersey up 3-1. Edmonton clawed back the way great teams do: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins late in the second, then Leon Draisaitl on an early third-period power play to make it 3-3. Nobody scored again through regulation or overtime. In the shootout, Connor McDavid converted for Edmonton, but Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk both beat Tristan Jarry, who was otherwise excellent with 31 saves.
The Hellebuyck era, one home game in
Hellebuyck needed just 18 saves on a night the Devils outshot Edmonton 24-12 through two periods. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner — who backstopped the United States to Olympic gold in Milan-Cortina in February — arrived from Winnipeg on October 23 in a blockbuster that cost New Jersey a package including Dawson Mercer and goalie Nico Daws, after a months-long standoff with the Jets, as the AP reported. This is exactly the kind of game the Devils acquired him to win: tight, tense and decided by one save more than the other side gets.
What it means
For Edmonton, a shootout loss on the road against a good team is a point banked, not a crisis — Draisaitl and Bouchard both produced, and McDavid did his part in the skills contest. For New Jersey, beating the West's standard-bearer in the new goaltender's home debut is the early return on the boldest bet of the NHL season.