The New Jersey Devils played against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Prudential Center on Jan. 11 at seven p.m. The two teams played a very close game, but ultimately the Devils came out on top.

Atmosphere

Since the game was at home, the Devils had the advantage of having a crowd of supportive people. The stadium was packed, as there were about 16,514 people in attendance. It was also Jersey night, so all of the devils players and some fans were wearing their third jersey. This Jersey is black and says “Jersey” on the front in white and red bordered lettering. It also has white stripes on the shoulders and arms, and their number and last name on the back.

 Record of both teams

The Devils have 26 wins, 15 losses, and four overtime losses, with a total of 56 points. They are second in the Metropolitan division to the Washington Capitals.

The Lightning has 22 wins, 15 losses, and three overtime losses, with a total of 49 points. They are in the Atlantic division in third place behind the Florida panthers

These teams have met to play against each other 3 times this year. The Lightning holds the Lead against the Devils in wins, 2-1.

Devils’ performance

The Devils performed really well in the first period as they had 14 shots on goal and also scored a goal. In the third period however, the players looked a little out of sync but their goalie Jacob Markstrom had many saves. In total, they had two power play opportunities and scored one goal. They also took three total penalties totaling six minutes. Erik Haula from Devils was out with a sprained ankle and didn’t play.

Lightning’s Performance

The Lightning played a good and competitive game. Every time the Devils scored a goal, Lightning would tie the game. They had many shots on goal. They had three power play opportunities but didn’t score any goals. In total they took two total penalties totaling four minutes. Lighting lost their fourth straight game away from home.

Goals

The score in the first period was 1-1. Palat from the Devils scored the first goal and Hedman from Lightning scored the second. In the second period Jack Hughes scored for the Devils, making the score 2-1. The score went to 2-2 in the third period when Lightning’s Kucherov scored.

The 3-2 winning goal was scored in overtime by Stephan Noesen from the Devils during a power play. Nick Paul of Tampa Bay tripped a devils player which put him in the penalty box. This allowed New Jersey to have the advantage of having four players to three, which aided in their goal.

Star Players

The three star players included Stephan Noesen, Jacob Markstrom, and Jack Hughes. Noesen and Hughes both scored goals, and Markstrom had 23 great saves in goal. Hughes had one goal and one assist his assist was on power play goal that won game.  Jack Hughes second period goal was unassisted. Currently, Hughes leads the team in total points of 52 points.

Upcoming Game

The Devils will be playing the Florida Panthers at home on Jan. 14. The Florida Panthers have 25 wins, which is similar to the devils. It is projected to be a very close game. The Panthers were also the winners of the Stanley Cup championship in 2024.