James Nichols
If the New Jersey Devils would have made the playoffs this season, a series against the Montreal Canadiens could have been really fun.
The Devils hosted the Habs at the Prudential Center on Saturday in the first of a home-and-home situation on the weekend, and fell in the first game 4-3 via shootout.
Canadiens fans arrived in Newark, New Jersey in droves and were a rowdy bunch even before the warmups began.
That’s partially because it looks like Montreal will head to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and partially to see Cole Caufield score his 50th goal of the season.
When the puck dropped, Caufield was sprung for a half-break—an early opportunity to reach the 50-goal plateau. However, Johnathan Kovacevic’s backcheck was too much for the Habs forward to handle, and he never even got a shot on goal.
The Devils then pushed the Canadiens into their own zone, pressuring Jakub Dobes in waves.
However, it was the Canadiens that struck first when Jayden Struble snuck into the Devils’ slot and received a pass from Caufield to give Montreal a 1-0 lead.
The second period started similarly to the first. The Devils were heavy in the Montreal zone, pressuring Dobes with an abundance of zone time and chances through the first seven minutes of the middle frame.
However, Jonas Siegenthaler’s tripping penalty at the 7:40 mark of the period sent the Devils to their first penalty kill. Ivan Demidov doubled the Habs lead on yet another Caufield primary assist, receiving a back door pass and making it a 2-0 game on a one-time chance.
Just over a minute later as even strength resumed, Lane Hutson tripled the Montreal lead to give the Habs a 3-0 advantage.
The Devils finally struck back at the 6:52 mark of the second, however. Dawson Mercer drove the Devils’ net, and from an impossible angle, sniped the puck over Dobes’ left shoulder and by his left ear, cutting the Canadiens lead to 3-1 with very little visible twine.
Despite the Devils being ont he disadvantage, Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt were spring for a 2-on-1 toward the Montreal end.
The Devils then went to a long disadvantage after Brenden Dillon was whistled for a double minor after high-sticking Zachary Bolduc, which drew blood.
Although Dobes made the save, Jack and Bratt quickly went on another 2-on-1 breakaway after a bad Montreal change, and this time, Jack cut the Montreal lead to 3-2, scoring his 25th goal of the season shorthanded.
The Dillon penalty expired, as did the second period shortly after, and New Jersey entered the third period down a goal.
The Devils put the pedal to the metal in the third period. It took 17:44 of grinding on offense, but Timo Meier eventually broke through and tied the game at three late in the third period, erasing a three-goal deficit.
Regulation wasn’t enough in Game 76 of the season, and the Devils and Canadiens went to overtime. And despite the entertaining extra period, it wasn’t enough and the game required a shootout.
After five rounds, the Canadiens won the extra point on the stick of Zachary Bolduc, 4-3.
Jake Allen made 26 saves on 29 shots through 65 minutes of regulation and overtime, suffering his 17th loss of the season.
