The Connor Hellebuyck era began with a win for the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, as the recently acquired star goaltender stopped 16 shots in a 5-1 victory over the host Dallas Stars.
New Jersey extended its winning streak to four games while snapping Dallas’ five-game winning run.
Given his first start four days after being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in a blockbuster trade, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner made his season debut after last playing on April 13.
Captain Nico Hischier scored twice for New Jersey, while Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes each had a goal and an assist. Jesper Boqvist also tallied.
Justin Hryckowian produced Dallas’ lone goal, and Casey DeSmith stopped 22 of 27 shots.
Hischier opened the scoring early 2:41 into the first period, holding onto the puck before sliding a shot past a sprawling DeSmith.
Jack Hughes was forced to leave the game briefly midway through the opening period after taking a high-stick to the face and appearing to spit out a tooth. He returned later with a full face shield.
Just 38 seconds into the second period, Hischier added a second goal with a snap shot, beating DeSmith low on his glove side to double the lead. Just past the game’s midpoint, Boqvist extended the lead to 3-0.
Dallas’ Jamie Benn and New Jersey’s Brenden Dillon dropped the gloves as play resumed after Boqvist’s goal, before Hryckowian cut the deficit to two by deflecting Tyler Myers’ wrist shot from the point at 16:08 in the second to beat Hellebuyck. Luke Hughes restored the visitors’ lead just 28 seconds later.
Early in the final frame, Stars blue-liner Kyle Capobianco limped off with an apparent lower-body injury after a hit from Timo Meier.
Jack Hughes netted an additional insurance goal to extend the lead to 5-1 at 13:15 into the third.
The Devils were opening a three-game road trip that continues Wednesday at Colorado. The Stars fell to 3-1-0 on a six-game homestand.