Jesper Bratt just hammered home his fourth career overtime goal on a breakaway from Dougie Hamilton, sealing a wild 5-4 win for the streaking New Jersey Devils against the St. Louis Blues. This wasn’t just any win, it was a gut-check, come-from-behind victory after a near meltdown, and it absolutely cements the Devils’ spot at second place in the Metropolitan Division. Can you believe the drama these guys bring?
The Devils’ Offense Was Absolutely Cooking… Until It Wasn’t
Alright, let’s break this down. The Devils came out flying, outshooting the Blues a ridiculous 16-4 in the first period. Luke Hughes kicked things off with his sixth goal of the season, his third in the last five games, to get them on the board first. Then, in the second, things got wild. Anthony Mantha was an absolute beast, scoring two goals and grabbing an assist, with one of his goals coming on a sick backhand. Jesper Boqvist got in on the action too, scoring a goal that came just 19 seconds after Mantha’s second, giving New Jersey a commanding 4-1 lead after two periods. Jack Hughes was dishing dimes all night, racking up two assists and pushing his point total to 21, leading the team, with eight points in his last five games! These guys are absolutely buzzing, showing why they are 8-2 in their last 10 and have won six straight at the Prudential Center.
From Blowout to Buzzer Beater: A Near Disaster Avoided
But hold up, because this game was far from over. Just when you thought the Devils were cruising, the Blues decided to turn it into a horror show for New Jersey. St. Louis scored THREE goals in a mind-blowing 3:08. Mason McTavish got one, then Philip Broberg and Dalibor Dvorsky absolutely lit it up, scoring 18 seconds apart with just 5:06 left to play to tie the game at four. Talk about a gut punch! You gotta give credit to Jordan Binnington, who made 31 saves for the Blues, helping them claw back from what looked like an insurmountable deficit. But thank goodness for Connor Hellebuyck, who, even after giving up those quick goals, stopped 28 shots and pushed his record to a perfect 4-0-0 since coming over from Winnipeg in late October. This win, after missing the playoffs the last two seasons, shows this team’s grit. They could have folded, but they found a way to win it in overtime.
The Devils are now heading to face the New York Islanders on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Blues, who wrapped up a tough 2-4 stretch against Eastern Conference teams, will finish their road trip in Nashville on Saturday. This Devils team is proving they are for real, and the Metro better watch out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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