Devils Edge Bruins in Overtime Thriller, Hughes Reaches Milestone
NEWARK, N.J. — Paul Cotter scored his second goal with just seven seconds remaining in overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday at the Prudential Center. The dramatic win came as a boost for the Devils, who are striving to close the gap in the playoff race.
Cotter’s Late Heroics
The game-winning goal came on a breakaway, with Cotter capitalizing on a feed from Jack Hughes in the neutral zone. “We were kind of hemmed in and there was a little craziness going on and I took a peek at the clock and knew it was winding down,” Cotter said. “I looked at Dougie (Hamilton) and he yelled to maintain going so I tried to do something quick and happy it went in.” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe expressed immense confidence in Cotter’s ability to perform in the clutch, stating, “He’s at the top of the list of anyone who you want to have in that type of situation.”
Hughes Makes History
Jack Hughes had a standout performance, recording three assists and becoming the fastest player in Devils history to reach 400 career points. He now has 402 points (158 goals, 244 assists) in 414 games, surpassing Kirk Muller’s previous record of 429 games.
Game Recap
Connor Brown also contributed with a goal and an assist for the Devils (34-31-2), who finished a seven-game homestand with a 5-2-0 record. Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves in goal. Boston’s David Pastrnak scored two goals in the losing effort.
Eastern Conference Playoff Picture
The Dallas Stars are closely trailing the Colorado Avalanche for the top playoff position, with a three-point gap. The Los Angeles Kings secured a 4-1 win against the New York Rangers but remain on the periphery of the playoff contention.
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