Devils Off to a Strong Start: Three Keys to Sustaining Their Early Momentum

After months of anticipation and high expectations, the New Jersey Devils kicked off the 2026-27 season at home on Thursday night. The team battled hard, ultimately securing a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Strong defense paved the way early, with goals from Dougie Hamilton and Luke Hughes helping the club erase an early deficit. The game-winner came from Jack Hughes, who capped off the win with a celebratory stick toss over the glass.

With one win under their belts, the Devils will look to extend their winning streak on Saturday against the New York Islanders. However, a few early factors could make or break their success as the season unfolds. Here are three key elements to maintaining their momentum moving forward.

Maintaining Offensive Dominance and Shot Volume

The biggest takeaway from the Devils’ season opener was the sheer volume of scoring chances they generated. The team amassed 95 shot attempts, more than double the Flyers’ total of 41. From the opening faceoff, New Jersey played with a high level of urgency, outskating their opponents and consistently rushing the net.

Throughout regulation and overtime, the Devils outshot the Flyers 44-25. Their high-danger scoring chances (14-5) and unblocked shot attempts (62-31) heavily favored the home team, showcasing an aggressive, high-speed style of play.

The Flyers took a 1-0 lead late in the first period on a delayed penalty, courtesy of a tip-in from Rasmus Ristolainen. However, the Devils responded at the end of the second period, with Hamilton firing an unassisted snap shot past Joseph Woll at the 17:58 mark. Although New Jersey fell behind once more five minutes into the third period, Luke Hughes tied the game at two, sending the contest into overtime.

Can’t keep him wrapped up. pic.twitter.com/CbMfEV2Pmp

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 2, 2026

New Jersey controlled the puck for the majority of overtime, generating three additional shots, including two high-danger opportunities. After a few early chances, it was Jack Hughes who delivered the game-winning goal on a feed from Jesper Bratt in front of the net.

Overall, the Devils delivered an offensively dominant performance, playing with the sort of high-speed, high-stakes mentality that can propel the club far this season.

Finding Power-Play Consistency

Last season, the Devils’ power play finished 13th in the league with a 22% success rate. Following the Olympic break, their special teams played a crucial role in their late-season surge, scoring four goals in the final ten games.

On opening night, the Devils had plenty of opportunities to score on the man advantage but went 0-for-4 against the Flyers. Their first chance came 7:19 into the first period when Noel Acciari was called for holding. New Jersey won the opening faceoff and charged the net, generating a strong push in front of the crease from Nico Hischier and Luke Evangelista.

The Flyers’ penalty kill halted the Devils twice more in the first period and again at the beginning of the third. In total, New Jersey finished the night with eight shots on goal on the power play, contributed by Jesper Bratt, Luke Evangelista, Evan Rodrigues, Luke Hughes, and Timo Meier.

While the Devils will hope to find their first power-play goal of the season soon, there is no immediate cause for concern. Following the victory, Jack Hughes noted that the team played a solid game overall, stating, “I thought we played a really good 60 minutes. I think other than the power play, that’s a great start for our group.”

Depth Scoring Shows Early Promise

Perhaps the biggest question mark for the Devils entering the season was whether their secondary scoring could deliver. The team rolled out a third line of Arseny Gritsyuk, Evan Rodrigues, and Dawson Mercer, while Amadeus Lombardi, Cody Glass, and Stefan Noesen rounded out the bottom six. Jesper Boqvist was a healthy scratch, while Connor Brown remains sidelined with an injury sustained during practice.

The Gritsyuk-Rodrigues-Mercer line led the Devils in 5-on-5 ice time. Although they did not score, it was not for lack of effort. They generated eight shots on goal—second only to the top line of Anthony Mantha, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt—and led the team with 18 shot attempts and two high-danger scoring chances.

The fourth line of Lombardi, Glass, and Noesen struggled in their limited 4:28 of 5-on-5 ice time, being on the ice for more chances against than for. The line finished the night with a relative scoring chances for percentage (SCF%) of -73.17.

It is expected that the Devils’ fourth line will need time to establish chemistry, especially given that Lombardi was making his NHL debut. However, once the bottom six finds its footing, they will help ease the offensive workload from the top lines, creating a more balanced and sustainable scoring system.

Based on what the team has showcased so far, the Devils appear to be in the midst of a major bounce-back season, poised for sustained success if they continue these trends.

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