Vladislav Kolyachonok didn’t waste much time making his mark in a Devils sweater.
In his first game with New Jersey, the 25-year-old defenseman delivered the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Connor Hellebuyck backed it up with 26 saves in a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night in the opener of a two-game set.
Kolyachonok, who signed with the Devils in July as a free agent, was in the lineup because Johnathan Kovacevic was injured. His shot slipped through Logan Thompson at 6:27 of the third and gave New Jersey the lead for good.
The Devils got goals from Evan Rodrigues, Lenni Hameenaho, Stefan Noesen and Jack Hughes as well. Rodrigues started the scoring with a power-play goal 2:20 into the first period, and Hameenaho later pulled New Jersey even at 2-2 with his first goal this season, redirecting Brendan Dillon’s shot past Thompson.
Noesen added insurance at 17:07 of the third, and Hughes finished it off with an empty-netter.
For Hellebuyck, it was a strong return to the net after the Devils held him out of Tuesday’s loss at Winnipeg, the club that traded him to New Jersey last month. He was booed by Jets fans and said incidents involving his family had prompted his demand to be traded. Since arriving in New Jersey, he has won his first six starts.
Washington got goals from Ryan Leonard and Pierre-Luc Dubois, but the Capitals saw their two-game winning streak end. Leonard tied the game on the power play later in the opening period after Rodrigues had opened the night’s scoring. Dubois then put Washington ahead early in the second before New Jersey answered back.
Thompson finished with 24 saves for the Capitals.
The Devils have now won seven straight at home, and they’re 12-3-0 in their last 15 games. They also improved to 9-2-0 overall at Prudential Center.
New Jersey, which missed the playoffs last season, sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 28 points.
The teams meet again Saturday in Washington.
In Other News...
Devils Suddenly Face A Blue Line Question At The Worst Time
Mike Matheson is back for Montreal after missing two weeks with a lower-body injury, and that matters for the Devils because he remains one of the leagues most heavily used defensemen. He has led the Canadiens in ice time since 2022 and currently tops the NHL in shorthanded playing time per game, a reminder of how much responsibility he carries whenever these teams line up.
For New Jersey, the timing is less than ideal. The Devils will be without Brett Pesce because of illness, and they have already reached down to Utica for Vladislav Kolyachonok to fill the gap. It leaves the blue line a little thinner at exactly the moment when the matchup is about to get more demanding, with one key Montreal defender back in the mix and New Jersey still sorting out its own availability. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Turned Connor Hellebuycks Winnipeg Return Into A Bigger Mess
Connor Hellebuycks return to Winnipeg was already loaded with emotion, and the Devils only added to the noise by leaving their former goaltender on the bench against the team he once backed up. General manager Sunny Mehta and head coach Sheldon Keefe opted to start Jake Allen instead, a decision that kept the spotlight on a matchup that already carried plenty of baggage for both the player and the building.
The fallout spilled well beyond the ice after the game, when Devils broadcasters Don La Greca and colleagues were confronted by angry fans outside their hotel. Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel also made clear the atmosphere around Hellebuycks return was still raw, pointing to lingering frustration from fans and the organization over how his departure unfolded. What should have been a straightforward stop on the schedule ended up feeling like another reminder that this one still has some unfinished business attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Hot Start Is Hiding A Few Early Lineup Questions
The Devils strong start has given them plenty to feel good about through 19 games, with 26 points and a .684 points percentage keeping them near the top of the early-season picture. The lineup has also produced some telling individual trends, from Nico Hischier setting the pace at the dot to Timo Meier driving rebounds and Jesper Bratt bringing a physical edge in the mix.
Still, the numbers are hinting at a few questions beneath the surface, especially in the way Jack Hughes has been used and what that means for the balance of the forward group. Hughes has drawn eight penalties, but his faceoff work and lack of recorded hits stand out in a lineup that has leaned on different players in different roles, and Brenden Dillons penalty-drawing presence only adds to the sense that the Devils are sorting out exactly how they want this group to function as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]