NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils halted the Los Angeles Kings’ six-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory on Thursday, propelled by a decisive performance from Jack Hughes, who scored the go-ahead goal and provided two assists.

Hughes netted his twelfth goal of the season with just 7:02 remaining in the third period, allowing the Devils to take their first lead of the night. Ondrej Palat and Brett Pesce also contributed to the scoring for New Jersey, marking their first win in three outings.

The Kings got on the scoreboard first, with defenseman Jordan Spence launching a one-timer past goaltender Jacob Markstrom at the 3:19 mark of the second period. The assist came from New Jersey native Alex Laferriere and Phillip Danault, giving Los Angeles a temporary advantage.

Palat quickly responded for New Jersey, scoring with just 1:04 left in the second period, assisted by Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Pesce later secured the victory with his first goal as a Devil, a short-handed effort that came with 2:43 to go, ensuring a solid win as Markstrom improved his record to 14-6-2 this season.

Markstrom stopped 12 shots throughout the match, while Kings goaltender David Rittich made 23 saves.

Observations from the game reveal that the Kings, prior to this loss, had not surrendered more than two goals in any contest during their triumphant streak. For the Devils, Hughes continues to shine with his impressive performance, now holding second place on the team with 38 points, behind Bratt’s 39 points, which includes 13 goals.

A vital moment in the game occurred when Kings forward Alex Turcotte missed a penalty shot at 11:01 of the second period, sending the puck high and wide of the net.

In terms of team performance, New Jersey improved its home record to 8-6-3, while maintaining a strong 11-4-0 record on the road.

Looking ahead, the Devils will host the Blackhawks, while the Kings are set to face the Rangers on Saturday afternoon.