NEW YORK – In an impressive performance, Jesper Bratt contributed significantly with one goal and three assists, while Jack Hughes netted two goals, leading the New Jersey Devils to a dominant 5-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night.

Alongside Bratt and Hughes, Dawson Mercer and Dougie Hamilton also found the back of the net, and Luke Hughes provided two assists as New Jersey secured its fifth win in the last seven games. The Devils have now established a nine-point lead over the Rangers, who had previously boasted the best record in the NHL last season.

The Rangers did manage to break through with a power-play goal from Chris Kreider with just under seven minutes left in the second period, foiling Jacob Markstrom’s bid for a shutout. Markstrom made an impressive total of 39 saves, while Igor Shesterkin, in goal for New York, recorded 22 saves but suffered his fifth consecutive defeat, bringing his record to 8-9-1 for the season. The Rangers have struggled lately, with six losses in their last seven games.

Bratt opened the scoring just 1:27 into the game with a well-placed low shot that got past Shesterkin. Mercer doubled the lead at 7:10 in the first period. Hamilton then scored on the power play at 9:04 of the second, followed shortly by Jack Hughes, who made it 4-0 at 12:38 of the same period. Hughes capped off the Devils’ scoring spree by finding the net for the second time that night, achieving New Jersey’s second power-play goal with just over a minute left before the second intermission.

Takeaway points from the match highlight the Rangers’ struggle at home, now with a 6-5-1 record at Madison Square Garden as they begin a five-game homestand. In contrast, the Devils have shown a marked improvement this season, pushing their record to 17-9-2 after a disappointing campaign last year.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred during an early power play for New York in the second period when Markstrom made crucial saves against Adam Fox and Vincent Trocheck. He also executed an impressive diving stop against Mika Zibanejad late in the second period, further asserting his dominance in goal.

Notably, Bratt, who assisted on both of Jack Hughes’ goals and on Hamilton’s score, currently leads the Devils with 35 points this season.

Looking ahead, the Devils are set to host the Seattle Kraken on Friday, while the Rangers will welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to their home arena.