Jack Hughes Delivers in Overtime as Devils Edge Flyers in Season Opener

NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils opened their 2026-27 season in dramatic fashion Thursday night, with Jack Hughes providing the finishing touch in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

With 1:37 remaining in overtime, Hughes created the winning sequence himself. After taking the puck away from Travis Sanheim, Hughes pushed the play up ice and found Jesper Bratt on a two-on-one. Bratt quickly returned the puck, and Hughes buried the game-winner into an open net to give New Jersey its first victory of the season. (NHL)

Philadelphia struck first behind Rasmus Ristolainen, who redirected a Sanheim shot past Jake Allen in the opening period. Dougie Hamilton answered late in the second to make it 1-1 before Sanheim restored Philadelphia’s lead early in the third. (NHL)

But another Hughes helped turn the game around.

Luke Hughes tied the score at 2-2 at 9:44 of the third period, finishing a setup from Luke Evangelista to eventually force overtime. That set the stage for his older brother to end it at 3:23 of the extra period. (NHL)

Flyers goaltender Joseph Woll kept Philadelphia in the game with 41 saves, while Allen stopped 23 shots for New Jersey. The Flyers showed a much stronger effort after suffering a 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh one night earlier, but Hughes and the Devils ultimately had the final answer. (NHL)

For New Jersey, it was an early reminder of what makes Hughes one of the NHL’s most dangerous players: give him one opening with the game on the line, and he can make it count.