The New Jersey Devils struck first as they held off a Colorado Avalanche comeback, winning in overtime on October 23. However, the Avalanche got their revenge decisively. They finally found success on the power play and, despite allowing four goals in the second period, secured an 8-4 victory.

First Period

The Avalanche get an early chance on the power play when Jacob Markstrom tries to clear the puck but sends it over the glass for a delay of game penalty. It’s Martin Necas who capitalizes on the power play as he blasts a one-timer past Markstrom to open the scoring. Zahkar Bardakov keeps the momentum up by receiving a great stretch pass from Parker Kelly and rifles one past Markstrom to score his first career NHL goal against the team that drafted and traded him. Jonas Seigenthaler is called for interference, and Necas is called for hooking, but both teams kill the respective penalties off as the first period ends 2-0.

Second Period

Victor Olofsson breaks into the offensive zone, roofs a shot far-side past Markstrom to get his first goal as an Avalanche to make it 3-0. While the Avalanche have been defending the Devils well, Wedgewood has been great, stopping any chances the Devils manage to create. Stefan Noesen is called for cross-checking, and during the power play, Dougie Hamilton is called for tripping, so the Avalanche gets a 5-on-3 opportunity. For the first time this season, the Avalanche capitalized on the power play twice in a game as Cale Makar set up Nathan MacKinnon for a one-timer to make it 4-0.

Brent Burns sends a saucer pass from the Avalanche goal line straight to Ross Colton, who immediately finds Parker Kelly for a streaking breakaway and beats Markstrom with a nifty move, making it 5-0. Stefan Noesen gets the Devils on the board as Brent Burns turns the puck over and he rips it past Wedgewood, 5-1. This fired the Devils right up as Hamilton finds his own shot in the air, bats it down, and shuffles it in, 5-2. The Devils keep up the momentum as Josh Manson stumbles as the Devils attack, setting up a 4-on-2 opportunity and finishing with a nifty tic-tac-toe play for Dawson Mercer to make it 5-3. 

Not too long later, the Devils are on a 5-on-3 and Ondrej Palat finds Jack Hughes for a one-timer and makes it 5-4. Timo Meier is called for tripping, and once again, near-identical to the power-play goal that made it 4-0, Makar finds MacKinnon for another blast to make it 6-4. Josh Manson is called for slashing, but the Avalanche hold on for now, ending the period 6-4 with the Devils, with one minute left on the power play heading into the third period.

Third Period

Over two minutes in the period, Luke Glendening is called for slashing. This power play surge continues as Olofsson finishes a great behind-the-back pass from MacKinnon, making it 7-4. With under three minutes remaining in the period, Jack Drury finds the trailing Olofsson, who rips one past Markstrom to make it 8-4 and secures his first career NHL hat trick and ending the game 8-4.

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