Hughes' 2 Goals Helps Devils Top Wings in Opener | GAME STORY

NEWARK, NJ - Jack Hughes scored twice and Dougie Hamilton broke a late third period tie in a 4-3 victory for the Devils against the Detroit Red Wings at Prudential Center Thursday night in the season opener.

Forward Erik Haula, who was a question coming into the game with an upper-body injury, tallied the eventual game-winner with an empty-netter.

Daniel Sprong, Alex DeBrincat and Robby Fabbri scored for Detroit. Fabri scored with 33.7 seconds left to make it 4-3 after Haula's empty-netter.

"A win's a win. Come January that'll be two points," Hughes said.

Here are some observations from the game:

• Hughes scored two goals and I’m not sure which is more impressive. The first came on an impossible angle shot. The puck was below the goal line when Hughes whipped it off the mask of goalie Ville Husso. The bank shot of the year. But on Hughes’ second goal, he displayed his shooting, creativity and nasty hands. Hughes carried the puck with speed toward the near circle. Three Red Wings backed off to respect Hughes’ speed. But then Hughes made a quick direction change, that edge work, to move laterally into the high slot. Since the Red Wings were still backing off, it gave Hughes some space. He then snapped a shot against the grain on Husso for the tally. 

"He's got that dynamic ability to create his own opportunities," Ruff said of Jack. "For Jack, overall, I think a good night. Two goals."

• Speaking of Jack, we've come to expect spectacular goals from the 22-year-old phenom. What we don't expect is a penalty. Hughes had six penalty minutes all of last season while being a runner-up for the Lady Byng award. Two years ago, Hughes committed zero penalties for zero minutes. Hughes was called for a roughing and a slashing penalty for four PIMs. The first was a roughing call, Hughes' first such penalty in the regular season (he did have one in Game 3 against Carolina in the Second Round last year). Hughes' second penalty for the slash led to Detroit's power-play tying goal, 2-2, halfway through the third period.

"He ruined his chance at the Lady Byng," Ruff said. "That's the new Jack Hughes."

• Goaltender Vitek Vanecek wasn’t happy with the way his play during the postseason. So much so, that he saw a sports psychologist in Czechia during the summer. And whatever he did, it seems to have worked. Vanecek had an excellent preseason and followed that with a stellar performance on opening night. He stopped 32 shots, with his biggest coming with a sliding split blocker stop against Andrew Copp on a 2-on-1 rush. Vanecek was tested early, stopping all 14 first-period shots. It took the Devils half the game to find their legs, and Vanecek kept them in it despite getting outplayed early.

"He carried us. He was on his game. He's definitely a horse," Hughes said. 

"It could have been 5-0 after the first. He played great all game," Hamilton said. "He's a good goalie and that's what good goalies do."

"He was phenomenal," Siegenthaler said. "The first period he was the only one who was ready."

• Forward Timo Meier thought he had the season’s opening goal with the puck ricocheted off his skate and into the net. However, the referees ruled that it was a distinct kicking motion and waved the goal off. Meier did kick the puck, though he was trying to kick it to his skate. Unfortunately, the puck never got to his stick and was over the goal line illegally.

• Jonas Siegenthaler finished with a career-high three assists in the game.