The New Jersey Devils staged a remarkable comeback to secure a 4-3 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday at the Prudential Center. Timo Meier emerged as the hero, scoring a breakaway goal in overtime after a missed opportunity by the Blue Jackets.
Columbus had taken the lead late in the third period thanks to Yegor Chinakhov, who capitalized on a Devils’ turnover to make it 3-2. However, New Jersey’s Luke Hughes tied the game at 18:35 with a spectacular end-to-end rush, scoring with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker.
Earlier in the game, Jake Bean had opened the scoring for Columbus in the first period, marking his second goal of the season. The Devils responded quickly with Ondrej Palat leveling the score shortly after. Justin Danforth’s second-period goal put the Blue Jackets ahead again before Dawson Mercer’s equalizer for the Devils in the third period set the stage for the thrilling finish.
Elvis Merzlikins of the Blue Jackets made 31 saves, while Vitek Vanecek of the Devils stopped 26 shots. The game also saw defenseman Damon Severson face his former team for the first time since being traded to Columbus.
The win keeps the Devils in contention, improving their record to 18-13-2. The Blue Jackets, despite a strong showing, couldn’t hold on and fell to 11-18-7.
This result highlights the resilience of the Devils, who managed to find a way to win despite not being at their best. The game also showcased the individual brilliance of Hughes, whose late goal kept the Devils in the game, and Meier, whose overtime heroics sealed the win.
