On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the New Jersey Devils traveled to Nevada to take on the Vegas Golden Knights. The two teams just faced each other on Dec. 5, and just 12 days later, the season series was already coming to a close. The Devils were shut out by the Golden Knights on home ice, and they wanted to make sure they didn’t repeat this result. It took five minutes of overtime and a shootout, but the Devils came out victorious with a 2-1 win. The season series ends in a tie.
Brown Kicked Off Scoring
The first period remained scoreless, but the Devils changed that around early in the second period. While the Golden Knights had possession of the puck in the Devils’ zone, Connor Brown got in the middle of a pass and stole the puck away while he was in front of the net. He sent it right over the goal line to break the scoring drought.
Brown signed as a free agent on July 1, 2025, with the Devils and has become an important part of their scoring depth. He has played in 27 games this season and has recorded 14 points via eight goals and six assists. He has flexed between the top six and the bottom six, but in this game, he played on the second line alongside Cody Glass and Ondrej Palat. As the only line and sole player to score in this game, Brown has been finding great success with his new team.
Allen Kept the Devils Alive
The Devils started Jake Allen in this game over Jacob Markstrom, and Sheldon Keefe definitely made the right call here. Allen was an absolute monster, earning a save percentage (SV%) of .973 after making 36 saves on 37 shots. He allowed one late goal to the Golden Knights on the power play, but it tied the game, not won it for Vegas.
Related: Bratt Lifts Devils to 2-1 Shootout Victory Over Golden Knights
Allen now improves to 10-7-0 for the season, and his overall SV% is at .912, his fourth-best of his career. It’s hard to compare since the season isn’t quite over yet, but Allen has been a strong part of the Devils’ core, especially in this game. With ten wins already under his belt in 17 games, the Devils will need Allen to stay strong as they progress through the season.
Bratt the Star in the Shootout
Brown might have been the only player to score in regulation, but Jesper Bratt was the only player to score a goal in the shootout. He skated wide up to the net and sent home a beautiful shot into the top corner. Although Mitch Marner went right after him and scored, the goal was immediately waved off for a double touch. His shot missed, and he kicked the puck for it to cross the line, making it an unfair shootout shot.
Again, with the absence of Jack Hughes and Timo Meier, Bratt has had to step up big time. Playing left wing now alongside Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, Bratt may be missing his normal line partners, but he is still finding his scoring chances, both in regulation and in the shootout. During this game, Bratt had two shots in 20:55 of ice time. Although he didn’t score during the 65 minutes against the Golden Knights, he scored the game-winning goal, which is all that matters.
Devils’ West Coast Road Trip Continues
The West Coast road trip continues for the Devils as they take on the Utah Mammoth on Friday, Dec. 19.
