Yahoo Sports Jack Hughes Continues Dominate Play Against Rangers With Another Multi-Point Performance
Holding the puck near the New York Rangers' blue line, New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce scanned the ice in front of him.
He saw Jack Hughes parked in front of opposing goaltender Igor Shesterkin and aimed for his stick. The 23-year-old tipped the puck past the blue line, and a celebration ensued.
With that goal, the young center became the first player in the NHL to score 10 regular season goals on Shesterkin.
Still, he was not done.
Less than five minutes later, he earned the primary assist on Jesper Bratt's goal, which was, at that time, the go-ahead goal. It was his third consecutive multi-point performance against the Rangers.
Hughes extended his point streak against New York to 12 games, dating back to March 2022. It is the longest streak by a Devil in team history and ranks first for all active points streaks against a single opponent.
In his team's eventual 3-2 overtime loss, the 5-foot-11 forward reached the 50-point mark with those two points in his 44th game of the season.
Dec 12, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) blocks a penalty shot by New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Hughes struggled in overtime despite extending his point streak and adding to his multi-point tally. He was officially credited with one giveaway and was stripped of the puck by Rangers' Sam Carrick before scoring the game-winning goal for New York.
The Hockey News recently asked Bratt how often the situation arises when the team loses a game, but an individual player is happy with his performance. The short answer? It is very rare.
"Obviously (there are) times when you felt like you were having a really good night, but then, at the same time, (you think) if I was having such a good night, I could have helped the team even more. Still, if I play well but the team's losing, my season is horrible anyway because we didn't win anything."
After the game, Hughes took responsibility for his overtime performance. While there is an argument that his play led to the Rangers, there is a similar argument that the Devils do not secure one point without Hughes' two-point night at Madison Square Garden.
New Jersey head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed the team will be off tomorrow and will be back on the ice for a morning skate on Saturday before hosting the Tampa Bay Lighting.
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