Bruins Fall to Devils in Overtime to Start Trip

NEWARK, N.J. -- Jack Hughes scored at 2:47 of overtime, and the New Jersey Devils rallied for a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins at Prudential Center on Wednesday.

Hughes won it when he took a centering pass from Jesper Bratt and rifled a shot into the far corner, over the shoulder of goalie Jeremy Swayman. The Devils outshot the Bruins 6-0 in overtime.

Dawson Mercer scored for New Jersey at 2:34 of the third period to tie it 1-1. He batted in a high rebound of a shot by Erik Haula that had bounced off Swayman. It was Mercer’s first goal in five games.

“I never played baseball growing up, but I was a big outdoors person playing a lot of sports,” Mercer said. “I'll say I'll keep on trying to swing at them. If it is working, I will try to get as many as I can.”

Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves for the Devils (15-11-1), who have won four of their past five games (4-0-1).

“We obviously knew we were playing a good team,” New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. “Chances were going to be limited. They got the first goal, a play where our coverage wasn’t quite tight enough. … In a 1-0 game, the patience had to be the fact we were going to get some opportunities; it might have to be an ugly goal.

“… It was a still a tight game. It was a hard-fought game by both teams.”

Morgan Geekie scored, and Swayman made 33 saves for the Bruins (18-5-4), who lost for the second time in six games (4-1-1).

“He's been terrific all year long,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said of Swayman. “Him and Linus [Ullmark]; I mean both of them [have] been terrific. That's why we have the record we have.

“… I thought it was a good hockey game. Their goalie played well, our goalie played well.”

Geekie gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 16:51 of the first period when he collected the rebound of a shot by James van Riemsdyk and beat Vanecek to the far post.

The Bruins had been 13-1-1 this season when leading after the first.

“They're great, they're super skilled,” Geekie said of the Devils. “They have a lot of good young fast kids on that team and, you know, I thought we had our chances. They had theirs, and that's the best part about 3-on-3 -- guys are going to get their opportunities. Guys are good in this league. That's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes and it's just how it's going to go.”

Vanecek’s biggest save came on a breakaway at 18:36 of the second period David Pastrnak. Vanecek held his ground as Pastrnak went between his legs with the puck and then tried to deke.

“Obviously a big save,” Hughes said. “He did a really good job. He only gave up one, so that's him playing a really good game of hockey.”

Hughes played almost the entirety of overtime. He was replaced by Michael McLeod for a face-off and then quickly reentered the fray.

“We gave him about 20 seconds off,” Ruff said. “He's got incredible glide in his skating, so he can recover in a short period of time. He had a couple breathers, but we knew he was he was ready to go. The opportunity was there, and he put it in the back of the net for us."

NOTES: It was New Jersey’s 10th comeback win of the season, the most in the NHL. … It was Hughes’ sixth overtime goal in the NHL, and his 13th game-winner. Petr Sykora (15) is the only player in Devils history to have more game-winning goals before age 23. … New Jersey is 3-0 in overtime this season, joining the Nashville Predators (3-0) and Anaheim Ducks (3-0) as the only teams who are undefeated through at least three overtime games. … The Bruins played without top-line center Pavel Zacha and No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who were each unavailable because of an upper-body injury. They are day to day. … Swayman has stopped 83 of 86 shots in his past three games (2-0-1). … Forward Brad Marchand was held off the score sheet and remains at 887 points (384 goals, 503 assists) for his career, one shy of defenseman Bobby Orr for sixth in Bruins history.