Jack Hughes tees up Tyler Toffoli’s hat trick as Devils handle Habs

[1/41]Oct 24, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Gustav Lindstrom (27) skates with a puck during warm-up before his first game of the season with his team against the New Jersey Devils at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports Acquire Licensing Rights

October 25 – Jack Hughes continued his hot start with four more assists and set up each of Tyler Toffoli’s three goals as the visiting New Jersey Devils beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Hughes, who had a four-point performance Friday in an overtime win against the New York Islanders, contributed to Toffoli’s hat trick Tuesday. Hughes set up Toffoli’s tiebreaking goal late in the second period and a power-play goal, as well as Nico Hischier’s power-play tally 34 seconds into the third.

Hughes has 14 points (four goals and nine assists) through New Jersey’s first five games. Each of the assists has been a primary helper, and his 14 points in five games surpassed the 13 by San Jose’s Patrick Marleau (2012-13) and Joe Thornton (2012-13) along with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (2021-22) for the most points in a team’s opening five games since 2010-11.

Hughes also surpassed John MacLean’s 10 points in 1988-89 for the most through New Jersey’s first five games.

Toffoli gave the Devils a 2-1 lead with 1:38 to go in the second before adding a power-play goal in the third and an empty-net tally with 26 seconds left in the game for his fifth career hat trick.

New Jersey went ahead when Toffoli got a cross-ice pass from Hughes and sent a wrist shot from the middle of the right circle over Montreal goalie Cayden Primeau.

Hischier had a goal disallowed in the first because officials determined he had interfered with Primeau. He scored in the third when he sent a one-timer over Primeau’s glove after Hughes made a pass from behind the net.

Toffoli got his second goal at 7:17 of the third — and New Jersey’s 11th on a man advantage this year — after getting a quick pass from Hughes in the right faceoff circle. He finished off his big night by scoring on a breakaway in the final minute.

Alexander Holtz also scored for the Devils, who tallied five for the second straight contest.

Justin Barron and Mike Matheson scored for the Canadiens, who were unable to win their third straight.

New Jersey goalie Vitek Vanecek made 27 saves to help the Devils get their eighth straight win in Montreal.

Primeau allowed four goals on 33 shots in his season debut.

Montreal opened the scoring at 5:49 of the first period when Barron sent a shot from near the red line over Vanecek’s right pad after getting the rebound off Michael Pezzetta’s wrist shot.

At 13:24 of the first, New Jersey evened it as its first power play expired. Holtz backhanded in a loose puck after Timo Meier had deflected Dougie Hamilton’s slap shot.

–Field Level Media

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