Willman Scores in Debut as Devils Top Hawks | GAME STORY

CHICAGO, IL - Max Willman scored in his Devils debut as New Jersey defeated Chicago, 4-2, at United Center Sunday night.

Dawson Mercer picked up his first goal/point of the season and Curtis Lazar score his second goal in as many games for the Devils. Michael McLeod added an empty-netter with .8 seconds left.

The Devils won their first game without centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and it took a collective effort. 

"You hate seeing injuries and guys go down, but for me, I'm trying to take that opportunity and run with it," Willman said. 

"It was a good win by us," Mercer said. "Those are two big guys for our team. It's good for us to keep playing our way and win those games."

The Devils had to protect a 3-2 lead for the final 2:22 as Chicago pressed hard for the tying tallying. Instead of collapsing to protect the net, the Devils applied high pressure to the puck possessor of the Blackhawks. 

"We were keeping them to the outside. Eliminating the opportunities," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "If you sit inside you'll allow their skill to operate. We wanted to apply as much pressure as we could. When we had an opportunity when the puck was on the wall we had everybody going. In 5-on-4 or 6-on-5 when you're killing a penalty and creating pressure if one guy goes you all have to go. I thought we were all in sync on that."

Former Devil Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato scored for the Blackhawks.

Here are some observations from the game:

• Mercer entered the game with zero goals and zero points in the opening 10 games of the season. Prior to the game, Ruff was asked about his lack of production in the early part of the season. Ruff wasn’t concerned about it.

“I’m not worried about him. Just play your game. Play a game conducive to helping the team win and the points will come,” Ruff said. “You just build off the use you’re getting and it will come.”

Those words were prophetic. Mercer scored his first goal of the season (and first point) with a power-play tally in the first period to tie the game at 1-1. With the help of Nathan Bastian’s net-front presence, Mercer carried the puck from below the circle right to the crease. Then he made a precision shot into the opposite top corner. The puck went in and out of the net so quickly that many on the ice didn’t realize it had gone in. But Mercer did as he pointed immediately at the net. The patience has paid off.

Mercer: "I've been looking for it for a while now. It just felt good to see it go in early on in the game. For us to finish it out with a win is a bonus too."

• With Jack Hughes out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, the team was forced to recall a forward from Utica of the American Hockey League. That man was Willman. And he made his introduction to the team quickly. Willman scored his first goal of the season and first as a Devil to give New Jersey a 2-1 lead late in the first period.

Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski bobbled a puck inside the Devils blue line. Willman pounced on it, stealing for a breakaway – though Korchinski hounded him the entire way to the goal. Willman then went five-hole for the score.

Willman: "It was a bouncing puck that the D fumbled. I was able to get a step on him. I saw an opening five-hole. I just tried shooting it quick and luckily it found its way in there."

Willman became the 66^th different player in Devils/Rockies/Scouts history to score a goal in their debut. The last? Timo Meier, March 5, 2023 at Arizona.

Willman: "It's always nice to come in and contribute right away. And to get the win is that much sweeter."

• Lazar scored his second goal in as many games in the third period to give the Devils some breathing room at 3-1. He re-directed a shot by John Marino from the crease. Marino also picked up a helper on Lazar's goal in the previous game.

Lazar: "There's something with me and Johnny. He's my son's favorite player. To see us connecting out there, he's going to be a happy camper. But we're just doing what we can to help the team."

Ruff: "(Marino) did a great job of being active. To generate offense you're going to need your D involved. There were a couple shifts early where (Dougie) Hamilton jumped in and then John two or three shifts in a row got involved, made a great play on the one goal and assisted on the other one. Defensively, strong game and offensively really did a great job of being that third or fourth guy on the rush for us."

• Although he didn't record an assist on the goal, Nate Bastian's net-front presence is the reason Mercer was able to score his first goal. Bastian had inside leverage on Nikita Zaitsev, which gave Mercer a clear lane to the crease. The box out worked to perfection. Bastian was used a lot as a power-play net-front a few years ago. And that was a display of why.

• Goaltender Vitek Vanecek had one of the best saves of his career in the opening period against Chicago. On the play, the Blackhawks had a 2-on-1. Jason Dickinson got Vanecek to bight and drop into his butterfly. Then Dickinson passed the puck across to Tyler Johnson for what should have been an easy empty-net tap-in. Instead, from his knees Vanecek threw his body across the crease and stretched out both arms to block away the shot by Johnson. It was a great battle save and credit to Vanecek for not giving up on the play.

Ruff: "He made a highlight reel save. That should motivate your team. I thought it did."

Vanecek became the eighth Czechia-born goalie to record 80 wins. Dominik Hasek is the all-time leader at 389. So, just 309 to go.

• Jesper Bratt, who wore an 'A' as an alternate captain in the game, hit a milestone with his 400^th career game played in the NHL. His first career game was Oct. 7, 2017 against Colorado when he posted two points (1g-1a).