Recapping December 2022 | THREE THINGS

In the final month of 2022, the Devils learned some key lessons and had to fight through a particularly hard stretch of games. New Jersey won four games in the month of December and went 4-7-2 overall. However, the Devils started to rebound from the skid at the end of the month to go into a very successful January.
Let's take a look at three big storylines or games from the month of December 2022 in this edition of Geico's Three Things.

1. Hughes Stepping Up

In a month lacking many bright spots, Devils center Jack Hughes continued to impress with his quick start to the 2022-23 campaign. The forward contributed eight goals and 15 total points, but often scored in games where New Jersey struggled to find any offense.
He had the Devils' lone goal against Philadelphia on Dec. 15 and the only New Jersey tally on Dec. 20 against Carolina. Hughes also stepped up and scored every time the Devils were facing a Metropolitan Division opponent, seven of his eight goals were in those games.

Hughes finished 2022 on a high note as well, scoring twice against the Pittsburgh Penguins to help New Jersey to a 4-2 victory on the road. His second of the contest marked his 20th goal of the year, and the second straight season in which Hughes achieved that scoring feat.

2. Bounce Back Against the Cats

Dec. 21 was a very important game for the Devils who needed to stop their six-game losing skid. New Jersey was in Florida taking on the Panthers for the second time in five days, after dropping the first game at home, 4-2. The team was also on the second half of a back-to-back after losing 4-1 in Raleigh the night before.
Florida took an early lead; however, Jesper Bratt's power-play goal in the first period helped tied things up, 1-1. The Panthers would score a power-play goal of their own in the second period, entering the final 20 minutes with a 2-1 lead. The Devils came out of the intermission swinging. Bratt scored his second of the contest just 2:44 into the third period, and Yegor Sharangovich's goal halfway through the final frame gave the Devils their first lead of the game. Tomas Tatar sealed the deal with a goal in the final minute of regulation as New Jersey snapped their skid and got a big two points in late December.

3. Ending 2022 in Pittsburgh

After losing two close losses to the Boston Bruins, the Devils had one more Eastern Conference team on their schedule before 2023: the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coming into this one, the Penguins had lost their last three-straight games, so both teams were desperate to get back into the win column.
The Devils had extra motivation to win as this final game of 2022 was a part of the team's Dads and Mentors' trip. After losing their first game in front of their special guests, it was critical New Jersey gave them something to cheer about this time.
Evgeni Malkin gave the home team a 1-0 lead in the first period, but three Devils goals in the second period would help New Jersey take a 3-2 lead going into the final frame. Hughes scored on the power play, 6:18 into the middle frame, to make it 1-1, Dougie Hamilton tied the game at 2-2 late in the second period, and Nico Hischier's shorthanded tally in the final minute of the period gave the Devils a 3-2 lead.
With just five seconds left in regulation the Devils players, coaches, guests and fans could breathe again as Hughes' second of the game secured a 4-2 win. Finish 2022 on a high note: check. Win in front of your dads and mentors: check. Not a bad way to wrap things up.