Devils Blank Rangers 5-0 Behind Hughes’ Hat Trick

The New Jersey Devils dominated their cross-state rivals, the New York Rangers, with a convincing 5-0 shutout victory on Monday night. Jack Hughes led the Devils’ offensive charge, recording a hat trick (2 goals, 1 assist) to extend his point streak against the Rangers to nine games (15 goals, 11 assists).   

Jacob Markstrom was a brick wall in net for the Devils, stopping all 12 shots he faced to secure his third shutout of the season and extend his point streak to nine games (8-0-1). This shutout marked the first for the Devils against the Rangers in the regular season since 2013.

The Devils received balanced scoring throughout the lineup, with Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer each contributing a goal and an assist. The power play was also a key factor in the win, converting on 3 of their 4 opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Rangers continued their struggles, dropping their 13th game in the last 17. Chris Kreider, a top goal scorer for the Rangers, was a surprising healthy scratch for the game. Coach Peter Laviolette attributed the lineup decision to the team needing “more.” The Rangers’ offense sputtered throughout the night, failing to convert on any of their four power-play chances.   

This win extends the Devils’ hot streak to 5-1-0 in their last six games. They will look to maintain their momentum heading into the Christmas break. The Rangers, on the other hand, will need to find a way to turn things around quickly as they face an uphill battle to climb out of the hole they’ve dug themselves into.

 By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer