Hellebuyck Makes 17 Saves in Devils Debut as Hischier Scores Twice in 5-1 Win at Dallas

He spent the first weeks of the season suspended, unable to play. Four days after the trade that brought him to New Jersey, Connor Hellebuyck was in the Devils' net, and Dallas barely tested him.

The Devils beat the Stars 5-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Hellebuyck stopped 17 of 18 shots in his first game for New Jersey and his first game of the season.

New Jersey got him from Winnipeg on Friday, Oct. 23, ending a long standoff. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner, who helped the U.S. win Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games in February, had asked out of Winnipeg, and the Jets suspended him for failing to report to training camp. In the deal, Winnipeg received forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to forward Alexander Command and two draft picks from the Devils: a 2029 second-rounder and a 2027 seventh-rounder. A big price brings big expectations, and Tuesday was the first look at what New Jersey paid for.

The skaters in front of him made the night easy. Nico Hischier scored twice, at 2:41 of the first period and 38 seconds into the second. Jesper Boqvist made it 3-0, and Justin Hryckowian got Dallas on the board at 16:08 of the second. Luke Hughes answered 28 seconds later, and Jack Hughes closed it out in the third. Both Hughes brothers finished with a goal and an assist. "I thought he was exceptional," coach Sheldon Keefe said of Hellebuyck.

The win is New Jersey's fourth straight and moves the Devils to 8-4-0, second in the Metropolitan Division. It also snapped a five-game winning streak for Dallas. The next test is how quickly Hellebuyck shakes off the long layoff now that the Devils finally have him.

Source: NHL.

File photo: Prudential Center in Newark, the Devils' home arena. Photo: Djflem via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).