Mackenzie Blackwood gets best of former team as Sharks blank Devils

Mackenzie Blackwood made 44 saves against his former team on Sunday night as the San Jose Sharks hung on for a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J.

Nico Sturm scored on a fortuitous bounce in the first period as the Sharks won for the fifth time in seven games following their season-opening, nine-game losing streak, and that was enough for Blackwood, who withstood a constant barrage from the Devils and constantly limited rebound opportunities.

Blackwood highlighted his 11th career shutout by making numerous saves against former teammates Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. He made 19 saves in the third, including seven on a late power play that came after Mario Ferraro hooked Nico Hischier with 3:32 left in the game.

Facing the team he appeared in 152 games for from 2018-23, Blackwood made a left pad save on Hughes during the late power play and a diving stop on Hischier with 1:59 left during a scramble in front of the net before stopping Dougie Hamilton and Bratt in the final 90 seconds.

Jake Allen made 26 saves for the Devils, who had their season high in shots on goal and were blanked for the second time in 2024-25. New Jersey fell to 5-2-0 in its past seven games and was unable to win a fourth straight contest.

The Sharks scored with 3:39 left in the first period thanks to a breakaway and a fortunate bounce.

Carl Grundstrom sprung Sturm on a partial breakaway past Hamilton and Justin Dowling. Sturm's backhander missed the net but went to the right corner of the ice, and the center scored when the puck caromed off New Jersey forward Timo Meier's left skate.

The Sharks saw a goal by Fabian Zetterlund disallowed with 7:15 remaining in the second when officials determined his attempt to jam his own rebound into the net resulted in him knocking off Allen's pad.

--Field Level Media