Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Devils Stay Persistent, Win 3-2 in OT vs Lightning
Published: Sunday, January 12, 2025
by Chris Jones
NEWARK, N.J. - The New Jersey Devils got back to their winning ways, with a 3-2 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
As the first period began, the Devils put the pressure on early, getting two shots off quick. One came from Jack Hughes right in front of the net, but the save from Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped an early score. The pressure continued in the first nine minutes from the Devils, forcing Vasilevskiy to make eight saves.
The ninth shot that he faced came from Dougie Hamilton but was redirected by Ondrej Palat, which opened the scoring in favor of the Devils 1-0. But it took only a minute for the Lightning to come back with a response, as Victor Hedman found the back of the net to tie it up at one. The Devils had multiple one-on-one or two-on-one opportunities but couldn’t cash in, as the first period ended 1-1.
The second period was a different story, as both teams began to play more physically. Nathan Bastian for the Devils and Emil Lilleberg for the Lightning both made their way to the penalty box on separate occasions, but neither team was able to take advantage of the power play.
Both teams continued to make strong shots a big part of their game, as in this period alone there were three broken sticks. But with less than five minutes in the period, Hughes took it himself and found the back of the net for the 17th time this season, the Devils taking a 2-1 lead. Almost replicating the first period, Lightning had a chance to respond a minute after the Devils scored. After a mishandle in the back line, Lightning had an open chance, but just went far left.
Much of the third was the same as what fans saw in the second. Devils continued to play physical, as Brendon Dillon went to the penalty box to give Tampa Bay yet another power play, making it their third power play chance this game.
It didn’t take too long for action to brew, as Jacob Markstrom made a diving save of what seemed to be an almost certain goal. Despite that pressure from the Devils continuing, the Lightning found an opportunity to get in behind the back line. It was Nikita Kucherov with the chance and made the most of it, tying the game once again 2-2. The rest of the quarter was a tug of war battle, and as the clock hit 0, the game was still tied at two. Time to go to overtime.
Just a little less than two minutes into overtime, Devils get a power play opportunity with four men out on the ice and none other than Stefan Noesen finds the back of the net to clinch the overtime win.
The New Jersey Devils will return to the Prudential Center on January 14, where they will take on the Florida Panthers.
Chris Jones can be reached at chris.jones@student.shu.edu.Posted in: sports,