GAME STORY: Devils 4, Rangers 3

The New Jersey won their first of eight rivalry matchups against the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden, 4-2. Devils forward Jack Hughes had three points in the win including two second period goals. This was the second time in his career where Hughes had three points (10/25/19). Miles Wood and Travis Zajac also scored in the win. Wood (1-1, 2) and Ty Smith (0-1, 1) also extended their point streaks to three games each.
"It's fun to watch," Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood said about Hughes and his dominant performance tonight. "I've seen Jack for a little over a year now since he started last year, and just the amount that he's progressed, this is fun to watch."
"I thought he was quick, he was deliberate, he was making plays," said Devils Head Coach Lindy Ruff. "Every time he was on the ice, something good was happening...I want to see his game grow and what I've seen in the first three games is probably way ahead of where I thought he could be."

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WHAT'S NEXT
New Jersey travels to Long Island to face the New York Islanders on Thursday, before returning home on Sunday to host the Islanders. Thursday's game is on MSG+ 2 and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, including right here at NewJerseyDevils.com. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. ET.
Mackenzie Blackwood had another huge night for New Jersey throughout the game and finished with 47 saves on 50 shots. Through Blackwood's first three games of the season, he has faced 115 shots and out of the six goals he has let in, only one has been during even strength. Blackwood was proud of the team's effort, especially in the last five minutes and the Rangers attempts to tie the game.
"He's the reason we're winning hockey games," said Hughes on Blackwood's performance. "He's obviously playing great, [it] gives us a lot of confidence knowing that he's back there and he's gonna shut the door. So kudos to him, I know he's gonna keep it going."
"That was a great effort by everyone blocking shots at the end, pushing stuff to the outside, and keeping them on the flanks," said Blackwood. "It was a gusty effort there at the end. You got to find a way to close out tight games on the road and I think we're all pretty proud of the way that we shut that one out tonight."
The Devils got on the board in the first minute of the game with Travis Zajac's goal. Miles Wood got an outlet pass at the blue line, entered the offensive zone and shot. He was boxed out from getting a rebound but Travis Zajac got the puck and scored, giving the Devils an early lead. Zajac led the Devils in points last season against the Rangers with two goals and three assists for five points. Wood extended his points streak to three games with the primary assist on Zajac's goal.

Then 30 seconds later, only 1:02 into the game, the Devils got their first power play of the night. However, the Devils were unable to find consistent possession time in the offensive zone during the two minutes and the Rangers killed the penalty. New Jersey was dominant with possession throughout the first period, limiting the Rangers offensive zone time. The home team didn't have consistent, sustained time in the offensive zone until the final six minutes of the first period.
With just over two minutes left in the first period, Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood came up big for his team stopping Filip Chytil's wrist shot. Neither team was able to score throughout the rest of the first period, and the Devils 1-0 lead held going into the first intermission. The Devils outshot the Rangers 10-7 through the first twenty.
The second period saw a flurry of goals including two power play goals for the Rangers and three goals for the Devils.
New York got its first power play of the game two minutes into the second period. Halfway through Artemi Panarin shot from the point, and a redirection from Chris Kreider hit Ryan Murray's skate and went into the net for the Rangers tying goal.
However, the Devils would respond quickly with Jack Hughes's first goal of the season. Yegor Sharangovich won the draw, Ty Smith took a shot from the top, and Jack Hughes crashed the net to tap in the puck sitting on the goal line. With the goal, Hughes and Smith (primary assist) both have points in the team's first three games of the season.
New York went back on the power play six minutes into the second period when P.K. Subban was sent to the box with a minor penalty, however the Devils were able to kill off the penalty.
Following the penalty, Jack Hughes scored his second goal of the night on a breakaway. Hughes picked the puck in the neutral zone, powered into the offensive zone, and scored after beating the Rangers goalie five hole.

The Rangers went back on the power play with just under nine minutes left in the second. Mika Zibanejad scored less than a minute into the penalty for the second Rangers power play goal of the night. The Devils still maintained a slight 3-2 lead.
With 4:22 left in the second frame, the Devils went back on the power play and Miles Wood scored his third goal in three games to give the Devils a 4-2 lead. Jack Hughes had a cross ice pass to Wood who was sitting on the doorstep and Wood's quick shot noticed the team another goal.
Not long after, P.K. Subban scored with an assist from Jack Hughes, however, after a Rangers challenge the goal was called back due to offsides at the start of the play. The Devils 4-2 lead held through the rest of the period, although the Rangers outshot the Devils 22-10 that period. After two periods, the Rangers held a 29-20 lead with shots.
Five minutes into the third period, the Devils were called for too many men on the ice and Jack Hughes served the penalty for New Jersey. The Devils penalty kill came through and held the Rangers from cutting into New Jersey's lead. However, the Rangers would make it 4-3 with 13 minutes left in regulation. Filip Chytil got to the loose puck and scored.
The Devils went back on the penalty kill again in the final ten minutes of regulation and once again the Devils penalty kill remained strong and killed off the penalty without allowing the home team to tie the game. The Rangers got another power play in the final three minutes of the game. Following the killed penalty, the Devils had the puck in their offensive zone with an empty net but were unable to get their fifth goal of the night. The Rangers were unable to score again to tie the game, giving the Devils the 4-3 victory.
Devils Head Coach Lindy Ruff got his first win against his former club. In addition, the Devils have won two of their first three games and have a total of five points.
"That's a huge win for him, that's a huge win for a hockey team," said Hughes. "These division games, whenever you can win games in regulation and steal two points, those are huge. So we're happy to win for Lindy and obviously Devils, Rangers rivalry. We're happy to start the season off right against them and hopefully we can keep it going."
Up next for the Devils, their second road game of the season this time against the New York Islanders. The Devils return home on Sunday when they host the Islanders at 7 p.m. ET.