On Saturday, November 8th, the New Jersey Devils hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time this season at the Prudential Center, with an early afternoon puck drop set for 12:30 p.m.. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1, concluding the game with a shootout win.
The Devils are currently tied for first in the League with the Montreal Canadiens.
Two important defensemen were missing from the Devils’ lineup on Saturday afternoon. Brett Pesce has remained on injured reserve since suffering a hand injury. Dougie Hamilton has been evaluated since Thursday night for a lower-body injury but is not expected to miss significant time: projected a week or so. Defenseman Simon Nemec played a career-high of 26:39 on Saturday afternoon, stepping up big time with the absence of two crucial players. Defenseman Luke Hughes had a playing time of 29:39.
As the first period commenced, Devils’ captain Nico Hischier won the face-off against Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby. Ten minutes into the first, defenseman Brenden Dillon made a big hit on Anthony Mantha. Dillon had found himself fighting Mantha not long after—both of them receiving a five minute major.
Make way for the Dilly Dilly train. pic.twitter.com/iHFOBYGn1A
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 8, 2025
With just shy of a minute remaining in the first, forward Arseny Gritsyuk snapped the puck, found the back of the Penguins’ net, and scored his third career NHL goal. There were no assists to his goal and the Devils led by one. Gritsyuk is a fast player with a lot of momentum, able to make a play quickly and efficiently. He has been undeniably a great addition to the team.
Grits blew the roof off this place. pic.twitter.com/bOOB8DFRw5
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 8, 2025
Commencing the second period, the Pittsburgh Penguins had tied the game at one. Former Devils’ defenseman Ryan Graves scored just over 12 minutes into the second (12:13). This was his first goal of the season. His slap shot was assisted by Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby: such a powerful unit for the Penguins team.
During the third period, no goals were scored by either team, yet both the Devils and the Penguins stayed consistent and eager. Hischier blocked a puck with his face, and forward Jack Hughes had to take his place to fill in for Hischier’s missed time. Prior to taking Hischier’s center spot between Meier and Mercer, Hughes double-shifted. Hischier returned to the Devils bench prior to the third period’s conclusion.
Heading into overtime, neither team had found luck. Numerous shots were made by each team, but no one could find the back of the net. It was an intense (and stressful) overtime period for the crowd, a prolonged game with lots of added stress; although neither team had cracked under the immense pressure. As overtime ended and the shootout began, Devils’ Paul Cotter and Jesper Bratt scored on their turn, concluding the Devils’ win 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Absolute cinema. pic.twitter.com/JHmEshZfn2
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 8, 2025
Devils’ goalie Jake Allen was the first star of the afternoon, leading the team with 33 saves; a great afternoon for the goalie who had a .971 SV%, winning his sixth game of the season. A tremendous win for Allen, playing an intense 60 minutes, five minutes worth of overtime, and holding his composure during the shootout. Allen did not let a single goal past him during the shootout, saving both shots by Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby. Penguins’ goalie Arthur Silovs, who previously played with the Vancouver Canucks for the last three years, had an impressive night, averaging 23 saves with a .957 SV%.
The Devils reside first in the Metropolitan Division, with the Penguins on their tail; at home, the Devils remain undefeated, winning seven games straight.
The New Jersey Devils will next host the New York Islanders on Monday, November 10th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Prudential Center, celebrating Military Appreciation Night.
