Sep 24, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe makes his way to the bench before the third period of the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Eric Haula and Nathan Bastian scored their first goals of the season to lift the New Jersey Devils past the host Ottawa Senators 3-1 on Thursday.
Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 shots, only allowing Brady Tkachuk’s power play goal with 65 seconds left. Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson assisted on Tkachuk’s first goal of the season.
Markstrom’s saves included a slide to prevent Tyler Kleven from grabbing a rebound at 2:22 of the third period. That shot forced the goaltender acquired from Calgary in June to split while heading to his right.
With their third win in four games since Saturday, the Devils became the first NHL team this season to reach the five-win barrier.
Haula gave the Devils the lead less than three minutes into the second period. For his first goal of the season, the center stopped in the box and deflected Johnathan Kovaceic’s shot from the blue line toward Senators goalie Anton Forsberg. Timo Meier got the second assist.
Less than four minutes later, the Devils doubled their lead in the penalty shootout. Bastian intercepted a pass from Claude Giroux and skated from the Devils’ end of the court to the kickoff circle to Forsberg’s right. There, the right winger scored his first shorthanded goal in his career.
Paul Cotter scored his team-high fifth goal of the season with 7:21 left in the game. The left winger smashed the ball into the net when Dougie Hamilton shot on goal and collected the rebound. The assist was Hamilton’s first point of the season, while Brenden Dillon was credited for the other assist.
Loss aside, Forsberg performed better in his second straight start. After being benched in the second period during Ottawa’s 8-7 overtime victory Monday against the visiting Los Angeles Kings, he made 33 saves against the Devils.
Senators No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark missed his second straight game with a lower-body strain. However, the Ottawa Citizen reported earlier in the day that he participated in an optional team skating session Thursday morning. Depending on how he participates in Friday’s session, he could be back in goal Saturday afternoon against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.
–Field level media
