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FIGHT NIGHT: Tempers Boil Over in Devils Loss to Blue Jackets
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- FIGHT NIGHT: Tempers Boil Over in Devils Loss to Blue Jackets
Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
The New Jersey Devils are division rivals with the Columbus Blue Jackets . However, that rivalry reached a whole new level on Monday night.
The second period erupted for 64 penalty minutes after a scary incident at the beginning of the middle frame, that almost ruined Brenden Dillon 's 1,000th NHL game.
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After 64 recorded penalty minutes in just the middle frame, the Devils dropped two points to another in-division opponent, and have now lost two games in a row on home ice.
Let's dive into tonight's 5-3 loss.
Period One
The Devils got off to a great start, with the Nico Hischier line pressuring Elvia Merzlikins on the opening shift. In fact, the Columbus netminder made two huge saves, first on Hischier, then on Timo Meier , both of which should have given the Devils an early lead.
Yet, the Blue Jackets went shorthanded following the early pressure by New Jersey when Zack Werenski was whistled for hooking.
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That opened the door for the Devils to take the first lead of the game, after the captain beat Merzlikins on the man advantage to put New Jersey ahead 1-0.
Just over a minute and a half later, Simon Nemec made a great play at the Columbus blueline to force a turnover and keep the puck in the offensive zone. Arseny Gritsyuk picked up the loose rubber, fed Ondrej Palat in the Blue Jackets' slot, and the Devils veteran scored to double New Jersey's lead to 2-0.
Dillon was later called for a hooking infraction, and the Devils went to their first penalty kill. It failed in their first try, however, as Denton Mateychuk redirected a shot just over the left shoulder of Jake Allen to bring the game within a goal, 2-1.
The Devils went back to the man advantage when old friend, Brendan Smith , was assessed a two-minute minor for cross-checking Paul Cotter .
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Meier stuffed a loose puck in Merzlikins crease over the blueline and for a moment it looked like the Devils regained a multi-goal lead. Yet, it was determined there was goaltender interference on the play, and the Devils' one-goal lead was restored.
Period Two
A scary scene just one minute into the second period unfolded, when Brenden Dillon answered Dmitri Voronkov 's proposal to fight. However, Dillon never quite got set, and Vorokov connected with a punch that saw Dillon face-plant to the ice.
After he was attended to by the team trainer on the ice, he was helped off the ice gingerly and left the game.
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Sean Monahan quickly capitalized on the oxygen that left the Prudential Center following Dillon's exit, and tied the game at two goals each.
Tempers boiled over after Dillon exited the game. First, Jonas Siegenthaler and Adam Fantilli dropped the gloves, and once Fantillit hit the ice, Siegenthaler was ejected from the game for an insufficient fight strap.
Tensions remained high as Stefan Noesen made sure Voronkov answered for dropping Dillon, and another fight broke out. The violence did not end there, however, as Cotter and ex-Devils defenseman, Brendan Smith , dropped the mitts. Speaking of ex-Devils, Damon Severson nearly got into it with Meier, after the Devils forward planted the Blue Jackets defenseman with a big hit.
Miraculously, Dillon returned from the Devils' locker room, and entered the game.
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Following the chaos, hockey eventually ensued.
Despite out-shooting the Blue Jackets 14-11, New Jersey went into the second period tied at two with Columbus.
Period Three
Perhaps the emotion poured into the first 40 minutes of the game sucked the wind out of New Jersey's sails in the third period.
Six minutes into the final frame, the Blue Jackets took the lead on the stick of Charlie Coyle . Then, it took just 45 seconds for Sean Monahan to double Columbus' lead to 4-2.
The Devils pushed back a bit, however, and forced Cole Sillinger to the penalty box after he slashed Luke Hughes . On the man advantage, Meier scored his 10th goal of the season, to bring the game back within a goal.
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Yet, Miles Wood shortly regained the Blue Jackets' two-goal lead under two minutes after Meier scored.
The buzzer sounded, and the Devils suffered their second regulation loss at home in as many games.
Allen made 19 saves on 24 shots, suffering his fifth loss of the season.
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