The Devils took on the Predators at the Prudential Center on Thursday, and in a hard-fought battle in Newark, Nico Hischier secured a 3-2 overtime win just 42 seconds into the extra period. Dougie Hamilton provided a major highlight, extending his point streak to nine games with a second-period goal, while Jesper Bratt also scored to keep New Jersey in the fight. Despite losing star forward Jack Hughes to an early injury, the Devils persevered to hand Nashville their third straight loss. Filip Forsberg and Michael McCarron each scored for the Predators in the effort. Looking ahead, the Devils head to Ottawa on Saturday, while the Predators travel to UBS Arena to take on the Islanders.

Nashville Predators Lineup:

Forsberg – O’Reilly – Evangelista
Bunting – Haula – Stamkos
Smith – McCarron – Marchessault
Wood – Jost – Wiesblatt

Skjei – Josi
Wilsby – Perbix
Blankenburg – Barron

Annunen
Saros

New Jersey Devils Lineup:

Dadonov – Hughes – Bratt
Gritsyuk – Hischier – Tsyplakov
Meier – Mercer – Hameenaho
Cotter – Glendening – Brown

Siegenthaler – Kovacevic
Pesce – Hamilton
Dillon – Nemec

Markstrom
Allen

Michael McCarron gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 14:53 of the opening frame, picking up his third goal of the season when he stuffed in the rebound of Jonathan Marchessault’s wraparound from the slot past Jacob Markstrom.

At 9:59 of the second period, Dougie Hamilton scored his seventh goal of the season to knot it up 1-1 when Arseny Gritsyuk made a pass from the left wall to Lenni Hameenaho, who skated away from the left circle to keep the puck away from the Predators and quickly handed it off to Hamilton for a snap shot from the right circle past Justus Annunen. Hamilton has two goals and nine assists during his point streak.

Early into the third period, Filip Forsberg picked up his 20th of the season to untie the knot and put Nashville back in front 2-1 when Hamilton’s attempt to get the puck out of their zone failed as Adam Wilsby picked it up from near the blue line. Wilsby made a pass from the point to Forsberg, who put a one-timer past Markstrom from low in the left circle. Jesper Bratt tied it back up 2-2 with 9:18 on the clock when he found the back of the net unassisted with Annunen sprawled on the ice, scoring his 13th of the season.

Nico Hischier took a pass from Dawson Mercer in the neutral zone and converted from the top of the left face-off circle on a slap shot just 42 seconds into overtime for the 3-2 win. It was his 18th goal of the season, as well as his fourth point in his past five games (four points; three goals, one assist).

Game Notes:

– Jacob Markstrom made a total of 27 saves for New Jersey.

– The Devils are 28-24-2, and lost two in a row after winning five of six. 

– Jack Hughes totaled 2:27 of ice time before leaving the game with a lower-body injury at 8:27 of the opening frame following a 56-second shift. He’s on the Team USA roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, he doesn’t believe it’s serious.

– With his overtime winner, Nico Hischier scored his eighth career overtime goal. He ties Scott Niedermayer for third most in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history. He trails both Patrik Elias (16) and Jack Hughes (nine). …Hischier’s ot goal was also his 27th game-winning goal, making him pass both Brian Rolston and Niedermayer (both w/ 26), and he ties Jesper Bratt for the 10th most in franchise history.

– Arseny Gritsyuk has five points in his past five games (one goal, four assists).

– In his Devils debut after being acquired in a trade with the New York Islanders for Ondrej Palat, a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft, and a sixth-round pick in the 2027 NHL draft, Maxim Tsyplakov had no shots on goal and five hits in 8:18 of ice time.

– The Devils have gone 17-for-17 on the penalty kill over their past seven games after going 2-for-2 on Thursday.

– Justus Annunen made a total of 32 saves for Nashville.

– The Predators are 24-23-6, and are 1-3-2 in their past six games.

– This was the 218th game that required overtime in the League. The 2025-26 campaign passed 2013-14 and 2003-04 (both w/ 217) for the most games requiring overtime at this stage of the season in NHL history (856 GP).

– After scoring his 20th goal of the season, Filip Forsberg is the sixth Swedish-born player in NHL history with at least 10 career 20-goal seasons. 

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