Schmid makes 24 saves, Golden Knights hand Devils 2nd straight shutout loss

NEWARK, N.J. -- Akira Schmid made 24 saves in his first game against his former team to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-0 win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday.

"He didn’t look nervous and was under control all night," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Good for him. You know, everyone likes coming back to where they were before, no matter the circumstance, and put on a good showing."

Schmid, who earned his second shutout of the season, played three seasons (43 games) in New Jersey before being traded to Vegas on June 29, 2024, along with forward Alexander Holtz, in exchange for forward Paul Cotter and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (forward Mason Moe).

"Maybe I had a little nerves compared to other games, but once you step into a game, they usually go away pretty quick," Schmid said. "Obviously, I was excited to be back and see all the people who helped when I was getting started."

Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev each scored, and Jack Eichel had two assists for the Golden Knights (13-6-8), who won their third straight after losing their previous four.

"Akira made some good saves when we needed them," Cassidy said. "In the third period, I thought we played the right way. Special teams makes a difference. ... A couple of big kills and we get a power-play goal."

The Golden Knights finished 2-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for the Devils (16-11-1), who went winless during their four-game homestand (0-4-0) and have lost seven of their past 10 (3-7-0). New Jersey, which lost 3-0 against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, was shut out in consecutive games for the first time since April 13-15, 2021.

"It's frustrating right now," Markstrom said. "I mean, we just got off the ice, so it is frustrating. But I mean, it should be a 0-0 game coming into the last five minutes and it's not."

Asked if he thought he could have stopped some of the goals, Markstrom replied, "All of them."

The Devils, who were in first place in the Metropolitan Division on Nov. 30, are now in sixth.

"We need everybody on board," Devils captain Nico Hischier said. "I think we got to find our foundation, and it starts with just competing. I think it was a better game than versus Dallas, but we also got to find a way to score goals. Without scoring a goal, you're not winning."

New Jersey appeared score 8:45 into the first period when Hischier deflected in a shot from the slot, but the Golden Knights successfully challenged the play for offside when Timo Meier preceded the puck into the zone three seconds earlier.

Theodore gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 19:47 of the first period on a snap shot from the right face-off circle that Markstrom missed to the far side.

Schmid made 11 saves in the second period. He denied Hischier off a 2-on-1 rush with Meier just 41 seconds into the second period.

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe could sense some frustration on the bench.

"You could see it wearing on the guys as the (second) period wore on, and they talked about it in the intermission," Keefe said. "But we're in the moment and needed to just focus on playing a great third period. But Vegas did a good job in the third and we didn't have the same level of jump."

Hertl extended it to 2-0 with a power-play goal on a redirection from the high slot at 15:36 of the third period.

Barbashev also scored on the power play off a rebound at the right post at 18:36 for the 3-0 final.

"The entries [on the power play] were good, puck movement was good," Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner said. "Both plays are just shots to the net with a tip. [Barbashev] is a rebound, but [Hertl] was just straight in. Great tips both guys."

NOTES: Vegas extended its road point streak against New Jersey to eight games dating to its inaugural season (2017-18). The only team the Golden Knights have a longer active run against is the San Jose Sharks (18 games, 2017-18). ... Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart, who made 27 saves in a 4-3 shootout win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, was scratched due to an undisclosed injury, per Cassidy. "He tweaked a minor injury during the game against Chicago and (on Thursday at practice) he aggravated it a little bit," Cassidy said. ... The Devils were shut out in consecutive games at home for the first time since Dec. 23-26, 2008.