The New Jersey Devils snapped the Los Angeles Kings’ six-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory, led by Jack Hughes, who scored the go-ahead goal and provided two assists. Hughes’ 12th goal of the season came with just over seven minutes remaining in the third period, giving the Devils their first lead. Ondrej Palat and Brett Pesce also contributed goals for New Jersey, which ended a three-game losing streak with the win.
The Kings initially took the lead late in the second period when Jordan Spence scored on a one-timer assisted by Alex Laferriere and Phillip Danault. However, the Devils quickly responded as Palat scored with just over a minute remaining in the same period, assisted by Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Pesce sealed the victory with his first goal as a Devil, coming with less than three minutes left in the game. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 12 saves for New Jersey, while David Rittich stopped 23 shots for Los Angeles.
Key moments in the game included Kings forward Alex Turcotte missing a penalty shot in the second period, which could have shifted momentum. The Devils, on the other hand, demonstrated resilience at home, improving their record to 8-6-3 at Prudential Center, while maintaining a strong 11-4-0 performance on the road. Hughes’ standout performance boosted his season tally to 38 points, trailing only Jesper Bratt’s 39 on the team leaderboard.
Looking ahead, the Devils will host the Chicago Blackhawks in their next game, while the Kings will visit the New York Rangers. This victory reaffirms the Devils’ potential as a balanced team with strong contributions from Hughes and others, while the Kings will look to regroup after a rare defensive lapse during their recent streak.
