Hughes brothers shine as Devils edge Canucks

Field Level Media|published: Wed 6th December, 01:16 2023

Dec 5, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; New Jersey Devils defence Luke Hughes (43) celebrates a goal against Vancouver Canucks during the second period at Rogers Arena. credits: Simon Fearn-USA TODAY Sports

Jesper Bratt scored two goals, including the game-winner with 34 seconds to go, as the visiting New Jersey Devils defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-5 on Tuesday night.

Bratt one-timed a rebound of a Kevin Bahl shot from the left point that caromed off the pads of Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko to give New Jersey its fourth win in five games.

Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists and his younger brother, Luke Hughes, also scored for the Devils in the first NHL game featuring all three Hughes brothers.

Vancouver's Quinn Hughes, the oldest brother, picked up two assists to give him 36 points for the season, the most for a defenseman in the NHL. Parents Ellen and Jim Hughes were in the stands as their family became the ninth in NHL history to have at least three sons play in the same game.

Erik Haula and Michael McLeod also scored goals and Vitek Vanecek made 28 saves for the Devils.

J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists, Brock Boeser had a goal and an assist and Dakota Joshua, Sam Lafferty and Nils Hoglander also scored for Vancouver. Demko finished with 26 saves.

New Jersey jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 3:40 of the first when Bratt finished an odd-man rush with a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle.

Miller tied things at 1-1, chipping in a rebound of a Boeser shot for his 14th goal of the season. But New Jersey answered with three goals over a nine-minute span to take a 4-1 lead.

Haula started the surge at 9:51 of the first. Jack Hughes made it 3-1 when he picked up a loose puck and backhanded a shot past Demko's left pad, and McLeod followed with his fifth goal of the season at 18:42.

Joshua capped the wild six-goal opening period by putting a shot past Vanecek with 20 seconds left.

Luke Hughes made it 5-2 at the 19:26 mark of the second period with a power-play goal.

Boeser cut Vancouver's deficit to 5-3 at the 7:02 mark of the third period with his league-leading 18th goal. The Canucks pulled within one with 6:02 left when Lafferty scored, and Hoglander then tied it with 3:26 remaining.

—Field Level Media

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