On Tuesday night, the New Jersey Devils headed to UBS Arena to take on the New York Islanders, marking both teams’ final contest before the holiday break. The Devils were looking to bounce back after a 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, while the Islanders looked to end a three-game losing streak. The Christmas Eve Eve showdown resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Islanders.
Game Recap
The opening period saw excellent scoring chances for both teams, but it was the Devils who lit the lamp first. Brett Pesce scored his first goal of the season to give New Jersey a 1-0 lead, on a feed from Nico Hischier. After 20 minutes of play, shots were 15-7 in favor of the Devils.
The first half of the second period saw plenty of scoring opportunities, including noteworthy chances by Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer and a breakaway attempt for Jack Hughes.
Simon Holmstrom tied the game at one 12:10 into the second, firing a wrist shot into a wide-open net after Jacob Markstrom left the crease to collect the puck along the boards.
Tensions boiled over in the third, with both teams fighting hard to snap the 1-1 tie. The Islanders finally broke the seal with less than two minutes left in regulation, with a goal courtesy of Adam Pelech, assisted by Anders Lee.
Goaltender David Rittich ended the night with a .968 save percentage (SV%), while Markstrom stopped 23 out of 25 shots faced at the other end of the ice.
Looking Ahead
Both teams will return to action on Dec. 27. The Devils will host the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center, and the Islanders will wrap up their two-game homestand against the New York Rangers.
The Islanders and Devils will face off two more times this season — Jan. 6 and Feb. 5.
