NEWARK, N.J. — Nico Hischier celebrated his first career hat trick, leading the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.
Hischier, ending a 10-game span without scoring, netted his 11th, 12th, and 13th goals of the season, all coming during the second period.
Alongside Hischier’s hat trick, Erik Haula contributed a goal for New Jersey (15-7-2), and Justin Dowling added an empty-net goal late in the game. Johnathan Kovacevic played a pivotal role with two assists.
On the other side, Filip Forsberg and Zachary L’Heureux managed to find the back of the net for Nashville (7-12-3).
New Jersey’s Jacob Markstrom was solid in goal, saving 19 shots. Juuse Saros had 26 stops for Nashville but was replaced by Scott Wedgewood after two periods; Wedgewood recorded 15 saves.
The Predators’ forward, Steven Stamkos, known for his success against the Devils—having tallied 45 points in 44 previous encounters—struggled, only managing two shots on goal during this matchup.
In a notable off-ice development, the Predators traded Philip Tomasino, their first-round selection from 2019, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 draft. Tomasino previously recorded 23 goals and 48 assists across 159 games with Nashville.
Highlights of the game included Nashville entering as a top-10 team for power-play effectiveness, boasting a 22.7% success rate, yet they could only muster seven shots during five power-play chances.
On the other hand, the Devils achieved a season-high with 46 shots on goal during the game.
A pivotal moment came late in the third period when the Devils effectively killed off a five-minute major penalty while holding on to a 4-2 lead. Timo Meier was penalized for cross-checking with 7:43 left, but Nashville could only muster a single shot throughout the penalty.
This victory marked an end to Nashville’s stronghold at the Prudential Center, where they had claimed victory in their last eight matchups against New Jersey.
Looking ahead, the Devils will host the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, while the Predators will face off against the Philadelphia Flyers on the same night.