Devils Defeat Golden Knights 5-2 as Hellebuyck Wins Second Straight
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots, Arseny Gritsyuk and Jack Hughes each scored twice, and the New Jersey Devils defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 on Friday.
Early Goals Shape the First Period
Luke Hughes opened the scoring early in the first period when he rifled a one-timer from the top of the left circle past Vegas goaltender Adin Hill, off a pass from behind the net by Anthony Mantha, as detailed in the sources. The Golden Knights responded on the power play at 16:27 when Mark Stone deflected a point shot from Mitch Marner past Hellebuyck. Moments later, Ivan Barbashev gave Vegas a 2-1 lead by tapping home a cross-crease pass from Marner.
The advantage lasted less than a minute. Gritsyuk capitalized on a turnover and sniped a shot top shelf from the left circle to tie the game 2-2 before the first intermission.
They say the house always wins. But we don’t listen to the rules.#NJDevils | @NJMins pic.twitter.com/xRvfVcIyT7
Devils Take Control in the Second and Third
New Jersey reclaimed the lead at 3:49 of the second period. Jack Hughes skated through three defenders in the neutral zone, maneuvered the puck through Stone’s legs, and beat Hill to make it 3-2. Gritsyuk extended the lead to 4-2 late in the frame by backhanding his own rebound on a rush.
Jack Hughes sealed the 5-2 final margin with an empty-net goal in the third period. Adin Hill finished with 27 saves for Vegas.
The @NJDevils are still on the road, but we've got our first look at Connor Hellebuyck in the home threads! 👀 pic.twitter.com/5c1oF0W8pN
Hellebuyck Wins Second Game Since Trade to Devils
The victory marks the second win for Hellebuyck since the Devils acquired him in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets, in exchange for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, the rights to forward Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round draft pick, and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick. Hellebuyck played his first 11 NHL seasons with Winnipeg.
Following the defeat, the Golden Knights sit at 9-5-1 and hold a 1-3-1 record over their past five games. The Devils improved to 10-1-0 in games where the Hughes brothers both score.
Looking ahead, the New Jersey Devils host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night, while the Vegas Golden Knights travel to face the Boston Bruins on Monday night.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.
THE CAPTAIN GETS IT DONE ON THE POWER PLAY 🗿#VegasBorn | @forthepeople pic.twitter.com/G3vkj7ZfUi
L. Hughes scored for the Devils. 14:22 to go in the first