If the preseason meetings provide a taste of what awaits the Devils this season, New Jersey fans have something to look forward to. The team earned its sixth win in as many games on Wednesday at the Prudential Center, defeating the New York Rangers 5-2.
No club is doing better this pre-season than the “Devils”. Led by their young players, they continued to fill the net, never scoring less than three goals in a game.
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Jesper Bratt, who scored a hat trick against the Islanders on Monday, added more by breaking the ice in the first period. Luke Hughes, Dawson Mercer, Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier then imitated him. Veteran Ondrej Palat controlled everything with three assists.
On the Rangers side, Alexis Lafrenière did not take part in this meeting. Will Cuylle, trying to earn a place at the big club, picked up points by shaking the ropes in the second period. Adam Fox was the Blueshirts’ other scorer.
The unrecognizable jackets
In Columbus, the Buffalo Sabers sent most of their young players into the game and were greeted by the offensive machine of the Blue Jackets, who won 5-3.
Freshman Adam Fantilli scored his first goal of the preseason. If the third overall pick in the 2023 draft is anyone to watch, it appears Emil Bemstrom will be one too. The Swede is having an excellent camp, scoring and collecting his seventh point in four games.
Sharpshooters Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau also defeated Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who made 28 saves.
For the Sabres, another member of the 2023 class, Zach Benson, scored for the second straight game against the Jackets.
Ouellet is still there
Xavier Ouellet, recently recalled from the Pittsburgh Penguins, stood out in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
The former Laval Rocket captain scored a very nice goal with a backhand shot, completing the move started by Jansen Harkins from point-blank range. The latter, which was claimed on waivers earlier this week, has certainly risen in the esteem of the ‘Pens’ employees who are still in evaluation mode.
Except Pittsburgh lost a second game to the Wings in eight days. Each time it was Alex Nedeljkovic who kept the goal for 60 minutes, but the goalkeeper didn’t do enough against his former club.
Daniel Sprong and Simon Edvinsson lit the lantern for Detroit.