Newark, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils just keep finding ways to win.
Jack Hughes buried the game-winner 1:53 into overtime, lifting the Devils to a 4–3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night at the Prudential Center — their eighth consecutive win and longest streak since the 13-game run that electrified fans early in the 2022–23 season.
Hughes, who finished with two goals and an assist, capped off another standout performance by sniping his team-leading eighth goal of the year past Colorado backup Trent Miner. Goaltender Jake Allen stopped 21 shots to improve to 5–0–0 since stepping into the starting role after Jacob Markstrom’s mid-October injury.
Devils Stay Hot
Rookie Arseny Gritsyuk and veteran Connor Brown also found the net for New Jersey (8–1–0), while Simon Nemec notched a career-best three assists from the blue line.
“It’s fun to play when everyone’s contributing,” Hughes said. “We’re playing confident hockey right now — we expect to win every night.”
Brown gave New Jersey a 3–2 lead midway through the second period, breaking free for a slick breakaway goal at 12:51. The 31-year-old winger, a summer free-agent addition, now has five goals and has quickly become one of the Devils’ most reliable two-way forwards.
Avalanche Fight Back
Colorado (5–2–3) refused to go quietly. Brock Nelson tied the game at 3–3 with 1:05 remaining in regulation, forcing overtime and silencing a crowd that had already begun celebrating another Devils win.
Earlier, the Avalanche clawed back from an early 2–0 hole. After Gritsyuk and Hughes struck less than a minute apart in the first period, Valeri Nichushkin and Nathan MacKinnon answered to even things up before intermission.
Miner, making his first start of the season with Mackenzie Blackwood injured and Scott Wedgewood resting, made 20 saves in defeat.
Rolling On
The Devils have won all eight games since dropping their opener at Carolina, continuing one of the NHL’s hottest starts behind Hughes’ offensive brilliance and Allen’s steady presence in goal.
New Jersey will now head west to complete the home-and-home series, visiting Colorado on Tuesday to open a four-game road trip.
