Devils Cash In on the Road as DeSmith Has a Night to Forget
Hischier scores twice and Jack Hughes adds a goal and a helper as New Jersey snaps its road woes against a Stars team on a five-game run.
New Jersey walked into Dallas and left with a 5-1 win, but this was no one-sided beating. The Devils had the puck far more, yet the Stars actually got the better looks. The difference was who finished and who stopped the puck.
New Jersey piled up 60 shot attempts to Dallas's 38 and outshot the Stars 27-17. But Dallas's chances were worth 3.42 expected goals (how many goals its chances would usually produce) to New Jersey's 2.44. The Stars just couldn't cash in, and the Devils cashed in on almost everything.
That landed on Casey DeSmith, who stopped 22 of 27. By goals saved above expected (goals stopped compared with what an average goalie would allow on those shots), he finished at -2.57.
Nico Hischier scored twice on three shots. Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist on six shots and could have had more, ringing iron twice. Dougie Hamilton also hit iron twice, part of five pucks off posts or crossbar on the night, and Luke Hughes chipped in a goal and an assist. Dallas hit iron once, off Mikko Rantanen's stick.
The Devils, now winners of three straight, improve their road record against a Stars side that had won five in a row.
