Devils Come Up Short in Seattle, Gain Point | GAME STORY

SEATTLE, WA -- The Devils battled back to tie the game late in the third period after trailing by scores of 2-0 and 3-2 but it was Seattle that came away with two points, netting the overtime winner. Nico Hischier's goal late in the third did preserve a point, however.
New Jersey finished the five-game road trip -- their longest of the season -- with a 4-0-1 record.

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The Devils return home where they will play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. The game can be seen on MSGSN and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, including right here at NewJerseyDevils.com. Puck drop is 2:08 p.m. ET.
For the second straight game, the Devils tied it up late. Hischier picked up a rebound in front and quickly fired it in to knot the game at 3-3.
"You could see it on the bench when we got the six-on-five, they did a great job pressuring and reloading. It's great to see a team that has no quit in them and will play until the final buzzer," said Mackenzie Blackwood.
"This is a tight-knit team. Like I said before, everybody here cares about each other so much. Best one I've ever been a part of. Everyone battles for each other and you see that night in and night out."
After regulation, Kraken had a 39-30 edge on the shot clock.
Thirty seconds into overtime, Hischier redirected a cross-ice pass from Jack Hughes but it rang off the post.
Forty seconds later, Andre Burakovsky fired a shot five-hole to win it for Seattle.
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff was happy with the road trip overall but not happy with how his team played in the finale.
"We found different ways to win. Turns out to be a good trip. You're happy anytime you can get that many points," Ruff began. "We're not happy with the way we're playing. Lost too many battles and gave up too many situations that were preventable. I think it finally caught up with us tonight."
Ruff was asked what he thought was the biggest difference tonight.
"Their speed. The fact they got off the ice better than us. Their forwards were quicker than ours. Their defense was quicker than ours. They won all the foot races. Our tracking wasn't good enough. When you don't track, you give up a lot of situations. Three-on-twos, two-on-ones. Things you don't give up when you're playing well."
The first penalties of the game came nearly midway through the opening period. Nate Bastian was called for kneeing and Carson Soucy for high sticking to set up two minutes of four-on-four action.
Jesper Boqvist got in behind the Kraken defense and tried to deke on Martin Jones but the Kraken netminder made the save.
With 7:33 to go in the first, the Kraken struck for the game's first goal. Ryan Donato wristed a shot from the right circle past Blackwood to make it 1-0.
The two sides again had offsetting minors late in the first. Erik Haula and Will Borgen were sent to the penalty box for slashing resulting in more four-on-four hockey.
Shots on goal after one were 15-10 for Seattle.
Nearly five minutes into the middle frame, the Kraken struck for another goal. Donato fired a shot from the circle that whistled by Blackwood to give the home side a 2-0 advantage.
After Devils had two great scoring chances 8:15 into the second on close-in chances by Erik Haula and Tomas Tatar, Seattle's Daniel Spring took a hooking penalty to send to the Devils to their first power play of the game.
Jordan Eberle rang a shot off the post midway through the second. Less than a minute later, the Devils scored to draw within one. Damon Severson whipped a shot from the high slot past a screened Jones.
After 40 minutes, shots were 29-22 for the Kraken.
Seattle's first power play of the game came 5:08 into the third after Brendan Smith clipped Sprong with a high stick behind the Devils net.
Fifty-six seconds into the man advantage, it was the Devils that struck to tie the game at 2-2. Erik Haula broke in alone and backhanded it high past Jones for the goal.
"We did a good job on their entry, Mercer did a good job on the loose puck and I just took off," said Haula. "It took a good bounce, good play by (Mercer) and I had some great speed."
He added that getting the single point will pay off big time for the club when it comes time for the end of the season.
"You just keep on putting up points. You're chasing somebody and somebody is chasing you. Every game matters. We're getting to that point now. Especially after break, you're looking more closely on where everyone's going to end up."
About a minute after the penalty expired, the Kraken scored to move back in front. Brandon Tanev snuck in back door and tapped the puck in to move Seattle ahead 3-2.

Here are some observations from the game:
- With his 21st goal of the season, Hischier matched his career high which was set last season in his 70th game. Tonight was only his 44th of the year.

"Just going to those areas where you can score goals," said Hischier on his success this season. "I had a couple goals just hitting me. I'd say lucky goals but you go to those areas and that stuff can happen. Go to the areas where it hurts but you can score goals or it bounces on you and goes in."

Coach Ruff had some words about his captain as well.

"Nico was maybe the one guy that had the puck, won a lot of battles. Liked his game. That line was on the leading edge for us and in on some good opportunities. Nico can score a lot of different ways. Six-on-five in front of the goal, quite a few on the rush. His on the puck compete was one thing that was good for us."

- Kraken are fourth in the NHL in second-period goals with 62. - Severson has now picked up points in six of his last eight games. During that time, he has two goals, six assists for eight points. - Bratt is on a four-game scoring streak. He has three goals and three assists for six points in that time. He also has points in nine of his last 10 (six goals, seven assists, 13 points). - Devils are now 9-1-2 when outshot in a game this season. - The game was Bastian's first since returning from injury. He only had 6:48 of icetime.

Ruff said that he felt that his line with Miles Wood and Michael McLeod struggled which is why he limited his time.

That line got caught in its own end two or three times and couldn't get out of its own way," said Ruff.