*Photo from TSN*
It was a game the New Jersey Devils weren't supposed to win, considering that they were going up against the red hot Tampa Bay Lightning. Hockey can be funny sometimes. Yegor Sharangovich scored, Dawson Mercer scored, and the Devils defeated the Lightning 5-3 on Saturday afternoon.
By beating the Lightning, the Devils increase their team record to 8-5-3 to begin the season, and they also ended Tampa Bay's point streak at 9 games. It was 4 goals scored by the Devils offense in the 3rd period that got them going in this one, ultimately getting them the win, snapping their own 3 game losing streak.
Devils forward Jimmy Vesey said of the win that "We had lost a couple in a row, and I think it would have been easy to pack it in and say, 'We're playing Tampa, they're a good team and we've got a couple days off here and we'll get it next week.' But no one can question our effort all year. Tonight was awesome and even better, we got rewarded for it."
Jan Rutta got the Lightning going with his second goal of the season, coming 5:49 into the game unassisted. 13:56 into the game was when Sharangovich scored his first goal of the season, tying the game 1-1. On the power play with 1:45 left in the period, Pat Maroon scored his 3rd goal of the season, increasing the Lightning lead to 2-1 after one period. Victor Hedman scored 6:17 into the second period, and it was 3-1 Lightning after two.
In the 3rd period, Mercer got the Devils going, scoring 1:12 into the period to cut the deficit to 3-2, his 6th goal of the season. 5:39 into the 3rd and Vesey struck, tying the game 3-3 thanks to his 4th goal of the season. At the 9:34 mark was when Sharangovich netted his second, putting the Devils ahead 4-3 on assists by Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. Tomas Tatar then scored on an empty net late to make it 5-3 and seal the win.
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said of the win that "We're going to be down in games and we have to find a way to get back in them, find a way to win them, find a way to get points. I knew going into tonight that if we got the opportunities, we were going to have to finish to be a good team."
Mackenzie Blackwood got the start between the pipes for the Devils, performing admirably. Blackwood saved 31 out of the 34 shots the Lightning sent his way, putting up a .912 save percentage in the win. In 6 starts this season, Blackwood has a .921 save percentage to go along with a 3-1-1 record.
On the other side of the ice was Andrei Vasilevskiy, who got the loss after saving 22 of the 26 shots he faced, posting a .846 save percentage in the loss, bringing his season total to .917 so far. In 14 starts so far this season, Vasilevskiy has a 8-3-3 record.
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said of the loss that "It wasn't the third period, their team outworked us. It's the National Hockey League. When you get outworked, you're playing with fire. The sense of arrogance we had about us today. We got a lead 3-1 and thought this was going to be easy. We got what we deserved."
The Lightning wrap up a back to back on Sunday night against the Minnesota Wild, with Brian Elliott making the start, his 3rd of the season. The Devils don't play until Sunday, when they also square off against the Wild, with Blackwood projected to start again.
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