Tag: New Jersey Devils

San Jose Sharks celebration at SAP Center

Sharks Blitz Early, Handle Devils 5-2 | IHM News

Sharks Blitz Early, Handle Devils 5-2

by IHM Team | IHM News | San Jose, SAP Center

San Jose landed three quick punches in the first period and never let New Jersey breathe. William Eklund scored 42 seconds in, Philipp Kurashev and Alexander Wennberg added two more in a five-minute span, and the Sharks closed out a confident 5-2 home win.

Wennberg and Kurashev finished with a goal and an assist each. Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli also scored. Timothy Liljegren posted two assists, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 29 shots as San Jose collected its first home and first regulation win of the season. The Sharks have now won three of five and look more organized shift to shift.

For New Jersey, Dawson Mercer delivered both goals on the power play with Dougie Hamilton supplying two helpers, but the Devils could not overcome the opening ten minutes. After an eight-game heater, they have now dropped two in a row.

“Just compete and play. I liked our start and the maturity in the third,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said.

Game Flow

1-0 SJ (0:42 1st): Eklund outraces the bounce and beats Jake Allen five hole.
2-0 SJ (12:12 1st): Wennberg threads from the wall, Kurashev one-timer glove side.
3-0 SJ (15:47 1st): Mario Ferraro shot deflects in off Wennberg.
3-1 (19:00 1st): Mercer tips Jack Hughes puck in on the power play.
4-1 SJ (16:50 2nd): Macklin Celebrini wins the draw, Smith scores on his own rebound.
5-1 SJ (18:30 2nd): Dmitry Orlov wrister glances off Toffoli and in.
5-2 (4:19 3rd): Mercer redirects Hamilton point shot on the power play.

Nedeljkovic credited the group in front: “We were detailed, blocked shots, good layers. A lot never got through.”

Coach Mark Lehtonen’s Take

“San Jose played to identity. Early pace, direct entries, pucks to the blue paint, and they protected the house for Nedeljkovic. For the Devils, this was not structure as much as urgency. When your first three shifts lose races and sticks, you chase. Special teams kept them alive, but five-on-five compete has to spike.”

IHM Verdict

Clean, professional home win for the Sharks with clear shot selection and middle-lane drive. New Jersey’s response after the first was better, but the opening blitz decided it.

Final: Sharks 5-2 Devils

Author: IHM Team | Commentary by Coach Mark Lehtonen

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New Jersey Devils celebrate sixth straight win after 4-1 victory over Minnesota Wild

Devils Stay Hot With 6th Straight Win, Beating Wild 4-1

Author: IHM Team | Date: October 23, 2025

The New Jersey Devils continued their October surge with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild at Prudential Center, stretching their winning streak to six games. The team’s speed, layers, and structure again defined the night.

First impressions

New Jersey entered off a road win in Toronto; Minnesota arrived after a rare victory at MSG. The first period was tight and physical, but the Devils dictated pace with aggressive gaps and clean zone exits.

Dillon strikes again

Early in the second period, New Jersey pressed hard. Jack Hughes nearly converted on a breakaway, followed by a scramble in front of Filip Gustavsson. A minute later, pressure turned into points: Simon Nemec cycled for Dawson Mercer, who found Brenden Dillon at the blue line. His wrist shot through traffic made it 2-0 – Dillon’s second in two games.

Gritsyuk’s first NHL goal

At 4:00 of the third, David Jiricek took a penalty for slashing Ondrej Palat. On the ensuing power play, Timo Meier won the draw and Arseni Gritsyuk pounced on the rebound to score his first of the season. It was a clean setup: retrieval, rotation, and net-front execution.

Wild’s lone response

Midway through the period, Zeev Buium started transition through center, feeding Joel Eriksson Ek, who set up Matt Boldy for a shot off the bar and in – his fifth of the season. The Wild pulled Gustavsson late but couldn’t generate sustained pressure.

Bratt seals it

With 1:10 remaining, Jesper Bratt forced a turnover and scored into the empty net to lock in the 4-1 victory. Jake Allen stopped 25 shots, stabilizing every late Wild push.

Coach Mark’s Comment: “The Devils look mature now – they manage momentum, stay disciplined, and trust structure. Hughes and Bratt drive tempo, while the supporting cast delivers depth goals. That’s what a complete team looks like.”

Blackhawks’ Young Core Finds Poise as Rebuild Gathers Speed

Hughes Takes Over Toronto as Devils Extend Hot Streak

Author: IHM Team | Date: October 22, 2025

The New Jersey Devils keep finding new gears. At Scotiabank Arena, Jack Hughes delivered a statement performance: a hat trick to lead his team past the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2, marking the Devils’ fifth straight win. Jesper Bratt had three assists and Jake Allen made 23 saves in another confident team display.

Momentum Shift

Toronto struck first when John Tavares batted in a rebound midway through the first period. New Jersey’s response came fast and sharp in the second. At 1:27, Hughes beat Anthony Stolarz from the slot, with Ondrej Palat screening the goalie. Toronto’s challenge for goalie interference failed, and on the resulting power play Cody Glass put the Devils ahead 2-1.

Speed Takes Over

The second period turned into a showcase of New Jersey’s transition game. Brenden Dillon finished a 4-on-1 rush at 4:54, pushing the lead to 3-1. Toronto’s defense collapsed under the Devils’ quick reads and layered movement through the neutral zone.

Leafs Fight Back

New Maple Leafs forward Matias Maccelli cut it to 3-2 off a feed from William Nylander at 7:03, but that was as close as Toronto got. Hughes restored the two-goal cushion at 16:17 with a short-side shot from the circle. He sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final 30 seconds to complete the hat trick.

Coach Mark’s Comment: “That’s what elite players do: they sense weakness and punish it. Hughes dictated tempo, Bratt created time and space, and New Jersey’s puck support was textbook. This team is playing connected hockey.”

Coach Mark: The winning streak continues – four successful calls in a row, including New Jersey’s confident win last night. Let’s see if Detroit makes it five

Toronto Maple Leafs vs New Jersey Devils - by Coach Mark Lehtonen

Previous analysis recap: Yesterday’s tactical call on Calgary Flames vs Winnipeg Jets delivered again – Winnipeg took a 1-2 win in regulation. It got tense at times, but Coach Mark’s read held true in the end.

Premium Analysis – NHL · 22 Oct 2025

Toronto Maple Leafs vs New Jersey Devils – by Coach Mark Lehtonen

New Jersey arrives with a disciplined two-way game and quick transition through the neutral zone. Toronto leans on perimeter cycles and can be forced into rushed decisions under structured pressure.

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