Camp scrimmage format includes two 25 minute periods and a five minute 3-ON-3 for overtime if needed. If penalties occur, a penalty shot is awarded.
In the second scrimmage of camp, Group A defeated Group C, 3-2 in overtime thanks to Jack Hughes’ game winning goal 34 seconds into extra time.
"I thought overall it was just a really good scrimmage," Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said following. "Better pace, better intensity, more physicality. I thought it was a good day by a lot of players."
Jesper Bratt opened the scoring with eight minutes left in the first period to give Group A a 1-0 lead. Group A had 15 shots in the first period, a slight advantage over Group C’s 13. Group C was inches away from tying things up in the final minute of the first period but a post and a quick save by Vitek Vanecek kept the puck out. Vanecek saved all 13 shots he faced while Akira Schmid stopped 14 of 15 chances.
Both teams made a goaltender change after the intermission with Isaac Poulter coming in for Group A and Tyler Brennan making the switch for Group C.
In the opening five minutes of the second period, Ondrej Palat scored to tie the game at 1-1. Group A would take back the lead 10 minutes later when Kevin Bahl shot was tipped by Tyce Thompson to get past Brennan. Two minutes later, Graeme Clarke would bury one to tie the game once again, this time at 2-2. Jack Hughes was unable to convert on a penalty shot with less than 7 minutes left, keeping the game tied.
In the final minute and a half, Dawson Mercer raced in to try to score but Cal Foote kept up with Mercer, adding pressure to his chance and helping Poulter get the save. A minute later, Group C was at it again with a great shot by Will MacKinnon and pressure net-front from Nathan Bastian, but Poulter made the stop.
The 50 minutes of play wasn’t enough for a winner and the game went to overtime. Siegenthaler, Mercer and Haula started for Group C while Hughes. McLeod and Smith lined up for Group A. 34 seconds into the extra period and Jack Hughes tapped in the game winner to give Group A the win.
"(There's) not a lot of room out there," Palat shared following the scrimmage. "Everybody's trying to do the right things. We have meetings before so trying to be in the structure a little bit more and do what the coaches have asked us to do."
Group C finishes their scrimmages 1-1 while Group A will face Group B tomorrow in the final scrimmage of training camp.
