(1/50)October 12, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; The New Jersey Devils salute the crowd at the Prudential Center before the start of the 2023-2024 NHL season.Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports for licensing rights
Oct. 13 – Jack Hughes scored twice in the second period, Dougie Hamilton took the lead in the third and the New Jersey Devils beat Detroit 4-3 in the season opener on Thursday in Newark, N.J. red wings
Vitek Vanecek stopped 32 shots for New Jersey. Erik Haula scored a goal and Jonas Siegenthaler had three assists.
Daniel Sprang, Alex DeBrincat and Robby Fabbri scored for Detroit, while Ver Husso made 23 saves.
The Red Wings controlled the first quarter, outshooting the Devils 14-6, but the two teams entered the first intermission deadlocked.
New Jersey led 2-1 in the second quarter.
Sprang broke through with 7:46 left in the game. Michael Rasmussen tried a workaround but was blocked by Vanecek. However, the goalie failed to keep the puck out of the way, and the puck bounced off Sprang’s skates as he moved towards the net.
Hughes tied the score with a personal advantage. Hughes slid down the left side into Detroit territory as the Red Wings’ David Perron chopped down Nico Hischier in the end zone. He shot from a difficult angle but managed to squeeze the ball behind Husso with 6:21 left. Ondrej Palat assisted.
Hughes’ second goal came with 1:17 left in the game. This time he slid down the right side, then got into the slot and beat Husso on the glove side. Tyler Toffoli and Siegenthaler both had assists.
The Red Wings tied the game with 9:17 left in the third quarter when Hughes slashed Jack Wollman in the penalty area. Dylan Larkin skated into the slot and passed the puck to DeBrincat, who beat Vanecek on the stick side.
After New Jersey won a faceoff in Detroit’s zone, Hamilton’s spot-up shot gave the Devils back the advantage with 4:23 remaining. Hamilton’s explosion beat Husso on the glove side.
With 2:40 left in the game, the Red Wings’ Jeff Petry made a free throw. Just 10 seconds later, the Devils’ Jesper Bratt went to the penalty area to interfere.
With 1 minute and 31 seconds left in the game, Haura scored an empty goal. Fabbri scored on a power-play goal with 34 seconds left, but the Red Wings couldn’t tie the game.
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