The New Jersey Devils celebrated their first victory of the 2025-26 season at Benchmark International Arena, as they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-3. It was New Jersey’s first victory in Tampa since March of 2023.
Timo Meier, Connor Brown (x2), Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt scored for New Jersey, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 14 saves on 17 shots for a .824 save percentage. Yanni Gourde, Ryan McDonagh, and Darren Raddysh scored for Tampa.
“I liked all four lines today,” head coach Sheldon Keefe told NJD.TV. “The way that they worked and competed. Some lines scored, some lines didn’t, but just the way that everybody competed and defended against really good players.”
Meier opened the scoring at 8:33, finding a loose puck during a scramble in front of Tampa’s net. Less than two minutes later, Brown scored the first goal of his Devils career with a tip-in from a pass from Arseny Gritsyuk. The young Russian celebrated his first career NHL point in his second game.
Hischier extended New Jersey’s lead to 3-0 as his wrist shot beat opposing goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The captain finished the first period with two points. It marked the captain’s 98th career multi-point game, which passed Zach Parise for the 11th most multi-point games earned in franchise history. Jack Hughes and Bobby Holik are tied for the 10th most at 100 games.
The Lightning got on the board on their fifth shot at 7:31 of the second period. Tampa took advantage of a three-on-one with Gourde scoring his first goal of the season.
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh scored the Lightning’s second goal of the night in the final minutes of the second period.
In the final frame, with Jonas Siegenthaler in the penatly box for tripping Pontus Holmberg, Bratt scored shorthanded for his second goal of the season. It marked his 450th career point.
Brown scored his second of the game at 6:29 of the third period. Gritsyuk picked up his second assist while Simon Nemec earned his first assist of the 2025-26 campaign.
“He plays with a lot of speed,” Brown told NJD.TV or Gritsyuk. “I think I play with a lot of speed, so I think we are able to turn the corner pretty quick, like on that first goal. On that second goal, he was able to back the D off, so I can come underneath. He is a really good player, so it is going to be fun.”
Raddysh scored a late goal for the Lightning, but the home team was unable to mount a late comeback, dropping their second straight game at home.
The Devils were without veteran winger Evgenii Dadonov, who is currently sidelined with a fracture in his hand. He will not play for the remainder of the club’s current road trip. Zack MacEwen made his Devils debut, playing 7:12. He was credited with two shots on goal, one blocked shot, and one hit.
The Devils’ next game is scheduled for Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
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