Devils Filibuster Senators, 5-3, and Clinch Playoff Spot | GAME STORY

The Devils clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 and celebrated by defeating the Ottawa Senators, 5-3, Saturday night at Prudential Center.
Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, Dougie Hamilton and Tomas Tatar all scored for the Devils. Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves in a return victory.
"It means everything to the group," head coach Lindy Ruff said of clinching the playoffs. "I went into the dressing room after the game and said I'm proud of the work that was put in, proud of where we got to."
Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot and Mark Kastelic tallied for the Sens.

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The Devils are on Long Island to face the Islanders Monday night. The game can be seen on MSGSN and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, including right here at NewJerseyDevils.com. Puck drop is 7:38 p.m. ET.
Here are some observations from the game...
- Hamilton's goal wasn't only his career-high 19th of the season, but also a new Devils franchise record for goals in a single season by a defenseman (Scott Stevens, 1993-94). - The Devils used to use Bratt as the entry player on the top power play with the drop pass. But with Bratt moved to the second power play unit, that duty has fallen to Hughes on the top unit. Hughes did carry the puck in the first period, and then he just breezed through three Senators players to get in alone on goal before deking and going five-hole for his 40th goal of the season. - Bratt's goal was thanks to some karma. Bratt was behind the Ottawa net when Erik Brannstrom threw a check into him. But Brannstrom didn't let up, he held Bratt on the boards even though the puck was away from them. Bratt fought out but was delayed getting up ice and behind the play. That allowed him to pick off a pass form Nick Holden intended for Brannstrom at the blue line. Bratt turned up ice for a breakaway and scored on a beautiful shot.

"I just tried to back check and saw there was a chance with the D going D-to-D," Bratt said. "I tried to put my stick in the right area and luckily it hit my shaft. I just felt that was the right place to shoot it, too."

- Mercer scored with an absolute bullet of a one-timer. But the real beauty was in the flash screen by Timo Meier. It's been a very underrated part of his game. In New Jersey's 5-2 win at Tampa Bay, Meier was screening the goalie on three Devils goals and he didn't receive an assist on any of those goals. He didn't receive an assist on Mercer' goal either. Which goes to show that Meier's effect can't just be judged by numbers. He's really making a difference in many ways.

"I told him on the bench I didn't even see the goalie," Mercer said of Meier's screen. "I just didn't want to hit him."

- Goaltender Makenzie Blackwood made his first start since Feb. 19. He was tested in the opening seconds on a shot from Tkachuk that he stopped. Although he did allow a goal to Tkachuk at 3:14 of the first, he settled down and shut things down from there. The Devils defense was leaky in the opening period, but Blackwood handled himself well.

"Missing time for the second time this year is not ideal. I'm glad the boys played really well in front of me," Blackwood said. "Gave me a chance to get my legs underneath me and find my game again. There were mistakes that I made, but they played so well in front of me that they gave me a chance to find my way."

- Things got wild halfway through the first period. Tkachuck tried to throw a check into Yegor Sharangovich at the Ottawa bench. Sharangovich took a side step to avoid the hit and it sent Tkachuk over the boards. Then Sharangovich tried to flip Tkachuk entirely into the bench, to which he responded by flailing his legs. After serving a two-minute penalty for charging, Tkachuk and Miles Wood dropped the gloves for a fight. You love seeing Wood stepping up for his teammates and not letting Tkachuk run around like he owns the place.

"Brady is a great player. He's a hard-nosed player much like me," Wood said. "I respect his game, but he traveled a long way to hit Shara. I didn't like that right in front of our bench. That's how it started."

"I liked what he did," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "I liked the fact that Tkachuk took a run at (Sharangovich) and Miles said 'you're not going to do that to our player.' To me, that's Devils hockey."

- The Devils dressed seven defensemen and 11 forwards in the contest, scratching Jesper Boqvist and Nolan Foote.