THREE THINGS: Top Wins of 2021-22

There were highs and lows during the 2021-22 season for the Devils; however, this year there were some quality wins that showed the future of this New Jersey franchise. In this edition of Three Things presented by GEICO, we take a look back at three of the best wins from the 2021-22 campaign.

1. Devils at Lightning - November 20, 2021

Heading into the third period of this one the Devils were down by two goals against the defending Stanley Cup Champions. However, New Jersey only needed 10 minutes to score three goals and take a 4-3 lead halfway through the final period. Dawson Mercer started the scoring at 1:12 in the third period, with Jimmy Vesey tying the game at 3 just 5:39 into the final frame. Yegor Sharangovich's second goal of the contest (and season) clocked in at 9:34 in the third period, which was the Devils first lead of the game. Tomas Tatar's goal with 1:16 left in the game secured the win as New Jersey scored four unanswered goals in the third period to win the game. The Devils snapped Tampa Bay's nine-game points streak and returned home with a win over one of the top NHL teams.

2. Devils vs. Avalanche - March 8, 2022

When the top-ranked Avalanche came to town, the Devils knew it would take a lot to win. Colorado jumped out to a two-goal lead in the opening frame due to a pair of power play goals, and then took a 3-0 lead in the opening six minutes of the second period. However, the Devils didn't give up despite being down and started to chip away at a comeback. Tomas Tatar, Ty Smith and Damon Severson all scored in the second period - with Severson's goal on the power play tying things up at 3 with just under three minutes left in the middle frame. From there, Nathan Bastian's power play goal and Yegor Sharangovich's shorthanded goal gave the Devils all they needed to beat the league's top team, 5-3.

3. Devils at Stars - April 9, 2022

The Devils longest road trip of the season came in the last month of the season - with five games over twelve days. Up first, the Dallas Stars who were fighting for every possible point in a playoff push. The Devils went in to the matinee knowing the importance of snapping a five-game losing streak and kicking off the road trip on the right foot. Dallas got on the board first in the second period; however, a three-goal third period by the Devils led to New Jersey winning 3-1. Now a three-goal third period might sound a little boring but two of the three goals, including the tie-breaker, all happened in the final two minutes of regulation. After Ty Smith tied the game 4:26 into the third period, the score remained the same until Nico Hischier gave New Jersey the lead with just 1:11 left in the game. Pavel Zacha's goal ten seconds later gave the Devils a 3-1 lead which ended up being the final. The Devils went 3-1-1 on the roadtrip after getting started right in Texas.