Devils Rink Report with James Nichols

The New Jersey Devils opened the season with a 3-2 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Prudential Center on October 1, 2026.Jack Hughes scored the winner with 1:37 left in overtime, finishing a give-and-go with Jesper Bratt after taking the puck off Travis Sanheim. Dougie Hamilton tied it unassisted in the second, and Luke Hughes (from Luke Evangelista) forced overtime at 9:44 of the third.Flyers goals: Rasmus Ristolainen (Sanheim, Konecny) in the first, Travis Sanheim (Couturier) early in the third. Joseph Woll stopped 41 of 44. Jake Allen made 23 saves. Devils outshot Philadelphia 44-25. New Jersey is 1-0-0; the Flyers are 0-1-1 after a 7-0 home loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.Full postgame reaction and breakdown from Devils Rink Report.0:00 Welcome and Jack's stick toss0:49 Shot volume and the process2:29 Do they need a finisher?4:51 Dougie Hamilton and secondary chances6:39 Luke Hughes' goal and the No. 1 question11:45 Jake Allen13:17 Power play still gelling16:24 Declan Chisholm's best game yet18:01 Blue line by committee20:50 Keefe: last year they lose this game25:07 Chat: fun win, odd-man rushes, no trendy pick31:26 Is this Luke's breakout year?32:57 Mantha with Hughes and Bratt38:51 Saturday starter and Chisholm's puck moving41:22 Ice, falls, and more chat43:54 Noesen, Glass, and the bottom six46:25 Jack and the ringside comment48:55 Every game, and sign-off#NJDevils #Flyers #NHL #JackHughesFollow:✅ James Nichols — @JamesNicholsNHL✅ Daniel Amoia — @Daniel_Amoia✅ NJD Hockey Now — @NJDHockeyNow🚨Check out our live episodes and be sure to participate in the chat🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

Devils 4, Islanders 1. Final preseason. This was the Opening Night group.Luke Evangelista scores twice. The first is a moving power play: Jack Hughes finds him in the slot and he beats Ilya Sorokin. The second is wall work, two spins off Isaiah George, and a tap in the crease. The Gritsyuk–Rodrigues–Mercer line was the most noticeable unit. The Lombardi–Glass–Brown fourth line dominated chances. The Hughes–Mantha–Bratt line is still a work in progress.James Nichols breaks down the 4-1 win, the lines, the blue line, Jake Allen, and your questions: Seamus Casey’s status, whether Lombardi would clear waivers, and if Gritsyuk should move up to line 1.Opening Night: Thursday vs. the Flyers at the Rock.0:00 Power play movement vs. last year0:32 Devils win 4-1 — Opening Night lineup3:40 First PP: Evangelista scores6:00 Second PP gets too cute7:50 Evangelista’s wall work and second goal10:30 Gritsyuk–Rodrigues–Mercer take over14:50 Fourth line: Lombardi, Glass, Brown18:00 Hughes–Mantha–Bratt still a work in progress20:40 Chisholm, Hamilton, Siegenthaler23:30 Depth: Noesen, Boqvist, cuts, Casey26:30 Allen, Daws, and the Rittich question28:50 Viewer questions29:40 Speed, skill, 2022-23 identity31:10 Would Lombardi clear waivers?33:10 Who stands up if it gets nasty?34:50 Should Gritsyuk move to line 1?36:40 Lombardi vs. Noesen and Boqvist39:30 Opening Night Thursday vs. FlyersFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨Check out our live episodes and be sure to participate in the chat🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

Brutal timing for Seamus Casey. The Devils defenseman suffers a lower body injury vs. the RangersJoin James Nichols to hear everything he saw from tonight and what it means going into the season. Plus he answers all your comments from the chat 😈0:00 Intro0:32 Welcome & 4-3 SO Recap2:37 Nico Daws: Not at Fault6:39 Seamus Casey Injury Update10:18 Anton Silaev Evaluation13:15 Mikael Diotte & Ethan Edwards15:46 Lombardi, Noesen & Boqvist22:48 Matyas Melovsky25:58 Chat Q&A28:02 Outro | Saturday vs IslandersFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨Check out our live episodes and be sure to participate in the chat🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

Rangers vs. Devils Preseason Postgame Analysis: Any concerns for Nico Daws? Luke Hughes' play after offseason surgery. Chemistry on the 3rd line.James Nichols and Daniel Amoia are live from The Rock to unpack it all!😈0:00 Intro2:02 Welcome & show plans3:33 Slow start / first NHL lineup5:11 Jack Hughes7:52 Nico Daws13:47 Third line18:53 Luke Hughes26:38 OutroFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨Check out our live episodes and be sure to participate in the chat🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

Sheldon Keefe said after the 2-1 preseason win that David Rittich is the third-string goalie — which points to Nico Daws and Jake Allen getting the bulk of the work once the regular season starts.Plus Anton Silaev's first NHL preseason impression: what stood out, the one knock, and what it means for his runway.Devils 2, Islanders 1 at Prudential Center.Connor Brown GWG. Ryan Schmelzer ties it. Rittich 23 saves.He answers all of these questions, plus your comments from the chat 😈0:00 Open / Devils 2, Islanders 14:51 Silaev first impression + the one knock10:53 Lombardi, Chisholm, Edwards17:51 Keefe: Rittich is 3rd string18:57 Daws and Allen get the net24:15 Chat + wrapFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨Check out our live episodes and be sure to participate in the chat🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com