Devils Fall to Blue Jackets in Chaotic Night Marked by Dillon’s Milestone and Mayhem
What started as a celebration quickly turned into a night of chaos in Newark. The New Jersey Devils dropped a 5-3 decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, marking their second straight regulation loss at home - something that hadn’t happened all season. But the score was only part of the story.
Brenden Dillon’s 1,000th Game Takes a Brutal Turn
This was supposed to be Brenden Dillon’s night. The veteran blueliner suited up for his 1,000th NHL game, and the Devils made sure to honor the moment in style. Every player took warmups in a “DILLON #5” jersey with “1K” stitched on the sleeves - a classy tribute to a respected locker room leader.
But the celebration took a dark turn just over a minute into the second period. Dillon dropped the gloves with Columbus forward Dmitri Voronkov, and things escalated fast.
Dillon went down hard in the fight and needed help getting off the ice. It was a moment that stunned the crowd and sent shockwaves through the Devils bench.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe didn’t hold back afterward, saying, “There’s no more honorable player in this league than Brenden Dillon. He would never do something like that to a player.
I don’t like it. I don’t think Dilly knows he’s in a fight.
He’s tackled from behind, and before he knows it, his helmet’s off, his jersey’s over his head - and you saw what happened from there.”
The response from the Devils was immediate and emotional. The game spiraled into a brawl-heavy second period that saw a staggering 64 penalty minutes handed out - 36 to New Jersey, 28 to Columbus. That’s the kind of number you typically see over a full 60 minutes, not 20.
Fans were quick to draw comparisons to a January 2024 showdown between the Devils and Blackhawks, a game remembered for its own chaos after Brendan Smith’s hit on Connor Bedard. That game totaled 64 PIMs. This one matched that - in a single period.
Incredibly, Dillon returned to the ice late in the second, showing the kind of toughness that’s earned him respect across the league. He finished the period but didn’t return for the third. Fortunately, Keefe later clarified that his absence was precautionary and there’s no significant concern moving forward.
Siegenthaler Ejected on Rare Rule Enforcement
As if the Dillon incident wasn’t enough, the Devils found themselves down a defenseman after Jonas Siegenthaler was ejected under an obscure but clear-cut NHL rule.
Midway through the second, Siegenthaler dropped the gloves with Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli. Both were assessed five-minute majors, but Siegenthaler got an extra ten and a game misconduct.
The reason? His jersey came completely off during the fight - and under Rule 46.13, that’s an automatic ejection if the jersey isn’t properly tied down.
It’s a rule that doesn’t come into play often, but this time, video review confirmed the violation. That left the Devils scrambling, forced to play the remainder of the game with just four defensemen - a brutal ask, especially in a game already spinning off the rails.
Keefe was vocal postgame, arguing that Fantilli should’ve been hit with an instigator penalty, which would’ve nullified the ejection. “Siegenthaler received seven punches before he removed his gloves,” Keefe said. “So for me, there should be an extra penalty there.”
Jake Allen’s Rough Night Overshadows Strong Team Effort
Jake Allen has been the Devils’ most consistent netminder this season, but Monday night was one to forget. He gave up five goals on just 24 shots, finishing with a .792 save percentage and a minus-3.08 goals saved above expected, according to Moneypuck.
The most painful moment came in the third period. With the Devils pushing for a comeback, Allen mishandled the puck behind the net. It squirted out to former Devil Miles Wood, who buried it - a dagger of a goal that helped seal the win for Columbus.
Allen started the season red-hot, winning his first five starts. But he’s now dropped five of his last eight.
Still, there’s a silver lining here. Despite the loss and the drama, the Devils actually played a strong game in many areas - and the numbers back that up.
They allowed just five high-danger chances all night - a significant drop from their average of 10.13 over the previous eight games. That’s a clear sign of progress in the defensive zone, even while skating with a depleted blue line.
Offensively, the Devils generated 4.18 expected goals to Columbus’ 1.92. On most nights, that kind of performance wins you the game. Monday just wasn’t one of those nights.
Looking Ahead
Now sitting at 16-9-1, the Devils will try to regroup quickly. They stay home to host the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM EST. With emotions still running high and questions about Dillon’s status, expect a focused and fired-up New Jersey squad looking to get back in the win column.
This loss may sting, but the Devils showed plenty of fight - in more ways than one.