CALGARY, AB - The New Jersey Devils kicked off their four-game road trip on the right foot, opening things up with a win in Calgary over the Flames, an important first step as they begin a long trip out West.

And it was delivered in overtime, by a likely suspect.

Simon Nemec, in his return to the lineup, delivered the overtime victory at 1:18 of extra time, securing the two points for his club in a 2-1 victory.

"Overtime is different,” Nemec said. “It’s not even normal hockey. With these guys like Jack and Bratter on the ice, I’m just trying to find a spot for a pass and Jack found me, and I just scored.”

It was a game played very evenly, and it was only the Devils who ever had a lead.

Only 1:53 of regulation did a team have the lead. That was the Devils after Dawson Mercer got the team on the board, before the Flames struck right back.

Once the score was tied up, the two teams traded chances in regulation before this game went to overtime.

Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves on 22 shots faced against his former team.

"I think we really stuck to the details that we set at the start of the game, we didn’t want to get away from it too much," Mercer said. "Like if you’re going to win a low-scoring game, it’s a good thing. Playing good defense and obviously we made it count in overtime. When you win those low-scoring games, you really dial it in as a team.”

"It’s another great win,” Nemec said. “It’s not easy to play here, they’re so hard on defense but we found a way how to win and it’s good.”

The Devils went down to five defensemen before the game was even half over after Luke Hughes suffered an apparent injury and did not return. Hughes was limited to just 9:31 of ice time before leaving.

"He’s going to have to get evaluated, but he’s going to miss time,” head coach Sheldon Keefe shared. “We won’t see him on the rest of this road trip and we will get him evaluated and determine the length of time from there.”

With points at a premium on a Western swing, getting off to a strong start mattered, and the Devils did just that while also debuting a new look up front. The night featured some forward-line shuffling and marked a memorable milestone for Lenni Hämeenaho, who made his NHL debut as part of the revamped lineup.

Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames in regulation.

Here are some observations from the game:

• Dawson Mercer scored his third goal in his last eight games. Mercer's goal opened the games scoring and came off a full five-man effort.

The sequence started with a clean faceoff win by Nico Hischier. The Devils moved the puck efficiently up top before Hamilton circled down to the top of the circle. Rather than firing a shot, Hamilton keeps his head up, spots Mercer presenting his stick at the crease, and threads the pass. Mercer finishes it off, giving New Jersey a 1–0 lead.

"Just trying to spread them out,” Mercer said of the play unfolding, “When the D-men connected like that and gave Dougie some space, my job is to kind of, get open, find a man and make them make a decision and Dougie made the right choice.”

Hamilton, who has been heating up offensively, had his fifth assist in five games.

• The Flames opened their scoring just 1:53 after Mercer's opening goal.

• The Devils gave up just three shots to the Flames in the first period. It marked the second-fewest shots against in the first period this season, behind holding the Lightning to two shots in the first period on Oct. 11, 2025.

• Forward Lenni Hämeenaho made his NHL debut against the Calgary Flames. Hämeenaho, who was drafted 58th overall in 2023, made his debut in his first season in North America. He has been a steady presence for the Utica Comets, leading them in points with 21, to start the year.

Hämmenaho was slotted in alongside Cody Glass and Arseny Gritsyuk and looked comfortable and confident in his debut. He was engaged in board battles and flashed his poise with a heads-up play along the defensive-zone half wall, springing Gritsyuk on a semi-breakaway against Cooley.

"It was great, obviously you have a lot of things in your mind the whole day, but at the same time you try not to think about anything really, and just go out and play your game," Hämeenaho said.

There appeared to be no hesitation from head coach Sheldon Keefe in deploying Hämeenaho onto the ice in the final minute of the first period, with both teams pushing to find their first goal, an early vote of confidence in his play.

"He was really solid," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Really confident iwth the puck, made some plays, shot the puck, I thought he complimented that line really well, with Gritsyuk and Glass, so I think it’s a debut he can feel good about.”