Here are some observations from the game:
• Jack Hughes has eight goals and 15 points (8g-7a) against his brother and the Canucks.
• No one in the National Hockey League has been hotter to start the season in the goal scoring category than Nico Hischier. Also, no one in the NHL has scored more goals in the NHL this season than Nico Hischier.
"I'm riding a wave right now, but it's going in," he said. "I'll keep riding the wave. ... Right now I have confidence in my shot and I'm trying to use it a little bit more."
The Devils captain potted his 10th of the year to open the scoring just 53 seconds into the game with a perfect snipe. New Jersey had a 2-on-1 rush when Dawson Mercer fed Hischier the puck early. Hischier held as he drifted into the near circle. He then fired a shot into the top corner to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.
Hischier returned the favor (of sorts) in the opening minutes of the second period when the rebound of his shot was converted by Mercer for a shorthanded goal to give the Devils a 2-0 lead.
"I was wondering if he was going to shoot or pass," Mercer said. "He made the right play and it came right to me. I'm happy enough to get chances like that and try to bury them. It worked out in a good way for me."
• The Devils penalty killing unit stepped up in a major way early in the game. Forward Jesper Bratt was called for a four-minute high-sticking penalty after cutting Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes early in the first period. Not only were the Devils down a man for four minutes, but were playing without a key PKer.
The units came up with a perfect kill. Thanks in some part to good stick play. Hischier batted an airborne pass out of the air to deny a scoring chance and clear. Jack Hughes, getting some PK time, also intercepted a pass along the blue line for a clear. It was a great all-around effort by the group in what could have been a disastrous situation.
"Huge moment in the game," Keefe said. "Meeting that challenge with the penalty kill was huge."
If that wasn't enough, Mercer scored a shorthanded goal 95 seconds into the second period. Not too bad of a night for the PK units.
• Ondrej Palat finally got on the board with a goal late in the second period. He drove to the net and snapped off a shot. Palat followed his own rebound and swatted it into the net off of goalie Arturs Silovs, though the referees didn't see it cross the goal line and play continued until a review confirmed the goal.
"Thrilled for him. He worked hard, he stayed with it," Keefe said. "He's a pro in every sense of the word. He kept going about his business. Like any player, you want it to go in for yourself and build some momentum that way."
"Really happy for Pally," Hischier said. "He means so much for us, if you just watch him play. He always brings something to the team."
• Meier picked up his fifth goal of the season early in the second period with a quick snipe. He collected a drop pass from Hischier, cut to the high slot and went top corner. It was Hichier’s third point of the night.
• Some fisticuffs broke out in the second period between Erik Haula and Conor Garland. Both exchanged heavy blows, but Haula appeared to get the better of shots landed. The crowd roared when Garland was shown in the penalty box and then loudly booed when Haula was shown. But in a great move, Haula, with his bloody left hand, blew the crowd a kiss with a grin on his face.
