Ten players have made their playoff debut for the Devils this postseason and New Jersey is now 122-108 in the team's playoff history.
Nico Hischier opened the scoring for the Devils 13:38 into the second period. Hischier's goal made him the youngest player (19 years 100 days) in franchise history to score in a Stanley Cup Playoff game (Credit NHLPR).
Sami Vatanen scored New Jersey's second goal 19:34 into the second period and his sixth career playoff goal. Andy Greene and Cory Schneider picked up the assists on Vatanen's tally. Schneider's assist made him the first Devils goaltender to record an assist since Martin Brodeur in 2012 (5/21/12 Game 4, ECF vs NYR. Credit Craig Seiden WFAN/TOJN Statistician).
Blake Coleman scored the Devils final goal of the game in the third period. It was Coleman's first career playoff goal/point. Travis Zajac and John Moore were credited with the assists.
Keith Kinkaid started in net, but was pulled at 13:12 of the second period. During his time in net, Kinkaid stopped 10 out of 15 shots. Cory Schneider relived Kinkaid, for his first playoff action since the 2013 playoffs, when he played for the Vancouver Canucks. Schneider stopped all 10 shots that he faced.
Zajac and Taylor Hall lead the Devils with 2PTS (1G-1A) each this postseason.
April 12 - NEW JERSEY DEVILS 2 AT TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 5
The New Jersey Devils fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-2, after game one of their first round Stanley Cup Playoff series.
Taylor Hall recorded 2PTS (1G-1A) in his first career playoff game. Hall opened the scoring for the Devils with his first career playoff goal/point at 13:55 of the second period. Hall also assisted on Travis Zajac's power play goal, marking Hall's first multi-point game vs the Lightning since Oct. 20, 2014.
Zajac scored the Devils second goal of the game on the power play, and his first playoff goal since Game 5 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. Zajac ranks 20th in Devils playoff history with 27 PTS (11G-16A) in 53 games.
Will Butcher tallied his first NHL playoff point with the secondary assist on Zajac's power play goal.
Keith Kinkaid lost his first career playoff start/game and his first game this season against the Lightning and stopped 27 out of 32 shots (.844%).
Brian Boyle leads all Devils skaters with 107 playoff GP and is the first skater since Petr Sykora (115) and Patrik Elias (138) to enter the playoffs with at least 100 playoff games played. (credit Craig Seiden WFAN/TOJN Statistician)
Sami Vatanen led the Devils with 26:32 TOI, which was his fourth highest total in 41 career playoff games.
