The New Jersey Devils began their five-game road trip in Chicago, Illinois, at the United Center versus the Chicago Blackhawks. Defenseman Simon Nemec scored the overtime winner, and an intense game resulted in a 4-3 win for New Jersey.
Three points for Nemec as he capped the overtime winner. Forward Jack Hughes had a two-point night; he currently leads the Devils in points with 20 since the start of the 2025-26 NHL season. Prior to being underway in Chicago, Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom led the team out to start their first game of their next road trip.
During the first period, the New Jersey Devils had received three penalties prior to the Chicago Blackhawks’ first goal. Devils’ alternate captain Ondrej Palat received a minor hooking penalty against Artyom Levshunov at 10:33. Devils’ right winger Zack MacEwen had gone down by the end boards and left for the remainder of the first period. At 3:14, a delayed minor penalty was called against the defenseman Luke Hughes for tripping against Blackhawks’ superstar Connor Bedard.
Devils defenseman Brendon Dillon had multiple hits on Bedard during this game. With over two minutes remaining in the first period, Dillon served a minor penalty for boarding Tyler Bertuzzi at 2:42; Dillon was later fined $5,000, the maximum amount by the Collective Bargaining Agreement for boarding Bertuzzi.
The Devils and Blackhawks had gone scoreless up until a power-play with a minute where Chicago’s forward Connor Bedard had scored his 10th goal of the season (at 1:25). A clean snapshot power-play goal, which was assisted by Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi. The Blackhawks led 1-0 at the end of the first. Devils forward Cody Glass had gone down into the end boards and left the remainder of the first period.
Heading into the second period, Glass had made an attempt to return during the second period, but left shortly after looking uncomfortable after a shift he played. Meanwhile, MacEwen did not return at all. Jack Hughes had multiple shots on goal. Hughes always finds the puck; he is an applicable and consistent player who is outstanding to watch, whether at home or away. With 15 seconds remaining in the second period, defenseman Simon Nemec tied the game, 1-1. Captain Nico Hischier and Timo Meier assisted on this buzzing goal, which had brought the Devils fans in the United Center immense joy.
While the third period began, Glass and MacEwen remained out. Hischier won the face-off against Ryan Greene. At 16:55, the Blackhawks take the lead 2-1; Landon Slaggert scored his first goal of the season. Louis Crevier and Nick Foligno picked up the assists on the tip-in goal. Not long after the Devils tied it up, Forward Dawson Mercer tied the game back up for the Devils with a slap shot at 9:47.
With 2-2 on the board, Jack Hughes and Arseny Gritsyuk received the assists. Gritsyuk has been an admirable player since joining the team, and he continues to flourish. With 6:26 left on the clock, the Blackhawks had struck again, 3-2. Sam Lafferty scored his first goal of the season, with assists by Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno and Crevier. At 3:46, Nemec scored his second goal of the night, a wrist shot assisted by Stefan Noesen and Jack Hughes. A phenomenal goal to tie the game up 3-3 before the end of the third period.
Heading into overtime, with almost a full five minutes completed, Nemec came in at 1:32 and scored the winner for the Devils—the wrist shot, which contributed to Nemec’s hat trick of the evening. Markstrom and Luke Hughes had assisted on the overtime winner. Nemec now has four goals in the last two games; an incredible start to his third NHL season.
