Hellebuyck wins second in row with Devils, who defeat Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS -- Connor Hellebuyck earned his second straight win since joining the New Jersey Devils, and Arseny Gritsyuk and Jack Hughes each scored twice in a 5-2 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

Hellebuyck made 19 saves to follow up his 17-save performance in his debut with the Devils, a 5-1 win at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.

The goalie was acquired by New Jersey in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23 for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to forward Alexander Command, a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft and a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

“He's a Hall of Fame goalie,” Devils defenseman Luke Hughes said. “He's unbelievable. It's been fun to play with him.”

Luke Hughes also scored for the Devils (9-5-0), who were coming off a 5-2 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday but have won five of their past six games.

“We’re developing great confidence around here in our ability,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We had to refocus and get ready for here (after the Colorado loss). It was another really good team. The guys responded the way we wanted. … In terms of playing with a lead, it’s probably the best third period we’ve had in the season. We couldn’t ask for more in terms of the response.”

Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev scored, and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Golden Knights (9-5-1), who are 1-3-1 in their past five. Adin Hill made 27 saves.

“We haven’t finished well at all. We haven’t played with the lead as much as we did earlier,” Vegas coach Ryan Craig said. “It could be those things I think force you to probably squeeze your stick a little bit. We shouldn’t be concerned about that part of our game because when we do manage the puck, and we do check, we create those opportunities.”

Luke Hughes gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 5:38 of the first period. Anthony Mantha won a race to a loose puck behind the net and found Hughes skating to the top of the left circle, where he scored with a one-timer.

Stone tied the game 1-1 at 16:27 on the power play. He sent the puck back to Marner at the blue line after the draw and tipped Marner’s shot past Hellebuyck.

Barbashev put Vegas ahead 2-1 at 17:57, finishing at the far post after Marner’s pass across the front of the net.

“Just didn’t play well,” Barbashev said. “It’s just on us. We didn’t play well enough today. There have been some good moments in the first period, but that was it. They just shut us down in the second and third.”

Gritsyuk evened the game 2-2 at 18:51. Vegas forward William Karlsson broke up a Devils rush chance, but Gritsyuk followed up the play and scored from the left circle.

“It was so important because we lost a goal before our shift,” Gritsyuk said. “Sheldon told us, ‘We need a hard shift,’ and we do this shift. … It happened and we go after the first period 2-2, and it’s a new game.”

The Devils reclaimed the 3-2 lead at 3:49 of the second period after Jack Hughes skated through three defenders to score past Hill.

“Just caught them gapping up, obviously a good play and good goal,” Jack Hughes said. 

Gritsyuk added his second goal of the game at 18:16, pushing the Devils' lead to 4-2 by putting in his own rebound on the rush.

Jack Hughes added an empty-net goal at 17:09 for the 5-2 final.

NOTES: Jack and Luke Hughes scored in the same game for the second time this week (also Tuesday in Dallas) and 11th time since Luke entered the NHL in 2022-23. The Devils are 10-1-0 in those games. … Hellebuyck passed Craig Anderson (150) for the fifth-most road wins by a United States-born goalie in NHL history. The only others with more are Ryan Miller (176), Jonathan Quick (176), Tom Barrasso (169) and John Vanbiesbrouck (155). … Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb had an assist in his 900th NHL game. … Before the game, the Golden Knights reassigned goalie Cameron Whitehead to Henderson of the American Hockey League and recalled forward Jonas Rondbjerg. Rondbjerg played 12:22.