Chicago Blackhawks 3-4 New Jersey Devils (OT)
November 13, 2025 – Author: IHM News
Simon Nemec completed a statement night from the blue line with the overtime winner, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 3-4 comeback victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
In a game where Chicago held three separate one-goal leads, New Jersey’s puck pressure and blue-line production eventually overwhelmed the hosts. The Devils generated a heavy 20-37 advantage in shots on goal and leaned on their top skill to claw back in the third period before Nemec finished the job in overtime.
Connor Bedard opened the scoring late in the first period on a power play, but from there Chicago were forced to defend for long stretches. New Jersey’s forecheck and quick neutral-zone transitions (fast counter-attacks off turnovers) slowly tilted the ice, and the Blackhawks’ defensive structure started to crack under volume.
Game Flow
Chicago struck first at 18:35 of the opening frame. Bedard found a soft spot in the right circle on the man advantage and one-timed a feed from Teuvo Teravainen, beating the goalie high glove for a 1-0 lead.
The Devils answered late in the second period. After sustained zone time, Nemec jumped into a shooting lane at the top of the umbrella and wired a low shot through traffic to tie the game 1-1 at 19:45. That goal came after New Jersey had already piled up a big shot edge but repeatedly missed on second-chance looks.
The third period turned into trading punches. Luke Slaggert restored Chicago’s lead at 3:05, finishing a rebound at the top of the crease for 2-1. Dawson Mercer responded at 10:13 when Jack Hughes attacked the middle, kicked the puck wide and Mercer ripped a shot short side to make it 2-2.
Sam Lafferty pushed the Blackhawks in front again at 13:34, converting a net-drive play for 3-2, but New Jersey would not go away. Nemec struck for his second of the night at 16:13, walking the blue line and snapping a shot through a layered screen to level things at 3-3 and force overtime.
In the extra frame, the Devils controlled most of the 3-on-3 possession. On the winning sequence, Hughes and Jesper Bratt circled high in the zone to draw coverage, slipped the puck back to Nemec in stride and the defenseman hammered home the OT winner at 3:26 for a 3-4 New Jersey victory and a hat trick from the back end.
Numbers & IHM Performance Metrics
- Shots on goal: Blackhawks 20, Devils 37
- Shooting percentage: Blackhawks 15% (3/20), Devils 10.81% (4/37)
- Blocked shots: Blackhawks 7, Devils 13
- Goaltender saves: Blackhawks 33 on 37 shots, Devils 17 on 20 shots
- Penalties: Blackhawks 1 minor (2 PIM), Devils 3 minors (6 PIM)
- Special teams: Chicago struck on the power play; New Jersey generated key momentum and at least one goal with the extra skater.
- Ice tilt: Long stretches of 5-on-5 zone time for New Jersey, especially from late first period onward.
Team Notes
For Chicago, the positive is the finishing touch from their top forwards in limited looks, but the concern is how quickly they were pushed back into a passive defensive shell. The Blackhawks protected the middle of the ice for most of two periods, only to sag deeper in the third and allow too many point shots with traffic.
New Jersey will be very happy with the response from the back end. Nemec’s three-goal night underlines how comfortable the Devils are letting their defensemen activate in a modern four-man rush (four skaters jumping into offense). Hughes quietly drove the attack with multiple primary setups, and the Devils’ forecheck kept Chicago changing in its own zone.
Coach Mark comment
Chicago played a brave game but could not handle the Devils’ pace for 60 plus minutes. When you get outshot this badly, every breakdown becomes costly. New Jersey trusted their structure, kept feeding pucks back to the blue line and eventually their quality on the back end decided the game.
Questions & Answers | IHM Performance Metrics
Q: Why did Chicago lose despite leading three times in the game?
A: The Blackhawks were heavily outshot 20-37 and spent long shifts in their own zone. As fatigue set in, they started giving up clean looks from the points and failed to clear rebounds, which New Jersey converted late in the third period and in overtime.
Q: What was the key tactical edge for the Devils?
A: Their aggressive 5-man attack with defensemen joining the rush. Nemec repeatedly found space at the top of the zone, and New Jersey’s forwards did a good job screening and recovering loose pucks to extend possessions.
Q: How did special teams influence the result?
A: Chicago’s early power-play goal gave them momentum, but the Devils’ discipline improved after the first period. New Jersey’s own power-play execution and the pressure it created helped tilt the shot count and kept the Blackhawks on the back foot.
Q: What do the IHM Performance Metrics say about goaltending in this game?
A: Chicago’s goalie faced the heavier workload, stopping 33 of 37 shots, while New Jersey’s netminder made 17 saves on 20 attempts. The quality of chances was higher against Chicago, especially with layered screens and back-door threats, so the stat line is harsher on the home goalie than the raw save percentage suggests.
Q: What is the main takeaway for both teams going forward?
A: Chicago must find a way to manage the puck better when holding a lead and avoid slipping into a passive box in their own zone. New Jersey can build confidence from a comeback win driven by their blue line and should continue to lean on this high-tempo, possession-based style.