On Wednesday night, the New Jersey Devils came to play when the puck dropped against the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:22 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena.
After 60 minutes, overtime, and a shootout, the Devils celebrated a 2-1 victory with Connor Brownscoring the team’s lone goal in regulation, while Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout. Goaltender Jake Allen made 37 saves on 38 shots.
After an excellent first period, the Devils scored the game’s opening goal four minutes into the middle frame. Brown scored his eighth goal of the season after he stole the puck and shot it past opposing goaltender Carter Hart. It was unassisted.
Brown has not only been a fantastic addition on the ice, but in the locker room as well, as he developed into one of the team’s vocal leaders, joining Brenden Dillon, Jacob Markstrom, and Allen.
“For me, it is honestly a big part of my game, kind of always has been,” he toldThe Hockey News. “It is a big way I make sure I am getting myself going, just talking and being loud. I kind of understood that it was something that I would be dependent on here. I think (we are) a team that has a lot of skill and wants to get to the next step. (I was not) not stepping into a really big veteran team, so that just kind of made sense.”
With 4:10 minutes remaining in regulation, Vegas tied the game at 1-1 while on the power play. Pavel Dorofeyev scored his first career goal against Allen.
After a five-minute overtime, where Allen stopped five shots, he was perfect in the shootout, while Bratt scored the game-winner.
Wednesday night marked Brett Pesce’s return to the lineup and first game since Oct. 26. He logged 23:58 of ice time, the most he’s played in a single game this season. The 31-year-old finished the game with three shots on goal and three blocked shots.
“It has been killing me, to be honest, not being able to be out here with the guys," Pesce told NJD.TV. "It was the perfect first game for me. Battle to the very end - four-on-threes, penalty kill, and blocked shots. It was a nice game to get back (in)."
“He was excellent," Keefe continued. "He was himself. Probably fitting that his first shift is on the penalty kill, and he made a couple plays there that the whole bench grew an inch when they see him out there making those types of plays."
The Devils will continue their road trip with a visit to Utah as they face the Utah Mammoth on Friday night.
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