Devils score 4 goals on first 5 shots, hold off Stars
The visiting New Jersey Devils scored four times in their first five shots and then held off a Dallas Stars rally to win 6-4 on Tuesday.
Jack Hughes' hot streak continued as the Olympic hero scored twice. Jesper Bratt added a goal and an assist, while Connor Brown, Tino Meier and Dougie Hamilton also scored for the Devils (36-32-2, 74 points). Jonas Siegenthaler had his first two-assist game since Oct. 27, 2024.
Jake Allen made 23 saves to secure his second win in his last seven starts.
Wyatt Johnston scored two goals to reach 40 for the season and assisted on Jason Robertson's 39th. Mavrik Bourque finished with a goal. Robertson added two assists, as did Thomas Harley.
Jake Oettinger only lasted a period, saving just four of the eight shots he faced. Casey DeSmith relieved him to start the second period and made 15 saves on 16 shots.
The Stars' inability to get the puck out of their own zone cost them early as Jack Hughes scored 4:12 into the opening period after Simon Nemec denied two clearance chances by the Stars.
Both teams traded goals during a 4-on-4 session. Johnston scored with 11:44 to go, but Bratt gave the Devils the lead for good just 55 seconds later.
Brown made it 3-1 with 7:08 remaining in the period. Jack Hughes scored his second of the first with 2:41 left as his brother Luke Hughes sprung him for a breakaway.
The Stars (43-17,11, 97 points) rallied in the second to make it a one-goal game. Johnston's second came just 71 seconds into the period on his league-leading 24th power play goal, and Robertson got on the board with 7:29 left.
Meier got one back for New Jersey with 13:14 remaining in the contest. DeSmith made a sharp save on a Nico Hischier shot, but Hischier got the puck back and fed Meier, who scored on a tight-angled shot over DeSmith's shoulder.
Bourque's tip-in with 6:52 to go again cut the Devils' lead to one goal. The Stars pulled DeSmith with 3:13 left but only managed one shot on goal before Hamilton's empty-net goal closed the scoring with a minute remaining to hand the Stars their third straight loss.