GAME DAY
Box Score
Advanced Stats
In-Game Highlights
Photo Gallery
POST-GAME VIDEO
Full Game Highlights
WATCH: Rewind
WATCH: Wood Post-Game
WATCH: Severson Post-Game
WATCH: Vanecek Post-Game
WATCH: Head Coach Lindy Ruff
WHAT'S NEXT
The Devils will return to play after the All-Star Break against the Vancouver Canucks on Mon. Feb 6 at 7:30 p.m.
- The first period was marred by Devils penalties, preventing the offensive players from finding a rhythm. It's a dangerous proposition to be called for three penalties in the opening 20 minutes of the game, including a 1:06 5-on-3 Dallas power play.
The Stars boast the sixth-best power play in the NHL at 25.8 percent and in the first period alone the Stars power play converted at 33 percent going 1-for-3 in the first.
- Make that 32-goal scorer Jack Hughes, as he continues to build on his career highs. Hughes scored at the 1:05 mark of the second period, what may be the most impressive is how a Dallas defender was riding his tail up the ice and Hughes was able to outmuscle his way to get a shot off, which initially did not look too dangerous.
But I guess any shot by Jack Hughes is dangerous.
Dougie Hamilton was credited with the assist on Hughes' goal his 33rd of the season, which is his 46th point.
Dougie is four assists away from his career high he set while with Calgary in 2016-17 (37).
- Hughes tied a career-high 8-game point streak (6g-8a=14 PTS) on the goal.
It's the second time he's been on such a run this season, having previously gone eigth straight games with a point from Nov. 25, 2022, to Dec. 12, 2022.
Adding to that streak, the goal was his 26th even-strength goal this season. Since the 2009-10 season, only Zach Parise had more even-strength goals in a season (28) than Hughes. (Per Devils PR)
- It has been a long time coming for Miles Wood who scored just 2:50 after Hughes' goal to tie the game at two. Wood ended a 19-game goal drought, just short of his career-high slump of 20 straight games which was from Feb. 21, 2017, to Apr. 9, 2017.
While Wood deflected from talking about his own goal, Lindy Ruff shared: "That line was important for us tonight. (The Stars) are a big team, they're a heavy team and I thought that line gave us a lot of real good play. It was one of our better lines."
- Vitek Vanecek had an incredible performance against the Stars, making highlight reel save after highlight reel save. The Stars are gifted offensively and Vanecek was able to keep their Grade-A opportunities out of the net. Whether it was a sprawling save, a kick save and even saves he didn't even know he was making, Vanecek had an outstanding night in the net.
Tweet from @NJDevils: The Hibachi King strikes again! 👑 pic.twitter.com/2olY3671YX
What may have been a favorite Vanecek moment was early in the first period when he left the blue paint after a whistle to get in the face of Stars forward Jamie Benn. Vanecek looked like he took exception to Benn taking an extra poke at the puck that Vanecek had already saved and proceeded to seek him out before having to be pulled away.
"He just slashed me so many times, I told the ref," Vanecek said, "I didn't want him to break my wrist. Sometimes it's good."
This isn't the first time we've seen Vanecek's wires cross, remembering back to the game against the New York Rangers when he took exception to Vincent Trochek in his crease and swiped him with his elbow and right in Trochek's face.
- Jamie Benn, who Devils head coach Lindy Ruff coached while with the Stars played his 999th NHL game.
