NEWARK, N.J. — In a thrilling overtime match, the New Jersey Devils outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning with a final score of 3-2 on Saturday night. Stefan Noesen clinched the victory for the Devils with a power-play goal in the extra period, while Jacob Markstrom recorded an impressive 23 saves throughout the game.

The Devils had been struggling on the road with a record of 1-4-1 since their last home win against Carolina on December 27, but this win marked their sixth consecutive victory at home. Alongside Noesen’s game-winner, Ondrej Palat and Jack Hughes also contributed goals for New Jersey. Markstrom, in his inaugural season with the Devils, improved his record to 21-8-3.

Noesen’s decisive goal came at 3:19 in overtime, taking advantage of Nick Paul’s tripping penalty. Jesper Bratt was instrumental in the game, providing two assists to help secure New Jersey’s success. For the Lightning, Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov each found the back of the net.

Palat set the tone early by scoring the game’s first goal at 8:09 into the first period, marking his 10th of the season with assists from Dougie Hamilton and Bratt. However, Hedman equalized shortly after, registering his sixth goal at 9:57.

In the second period, Hughes added to the Devils’ lead with a powerful shot that beat Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy at 15:16 for his 17th goal of the season, making it 2-1. Yet, the Lightning fought back when Kucherov scored on a breakaway at 8:05 of the third, following two missed power-play opportunities earlier in the period.

Vasilevskiy finished the night with 23 saves to keep the game competitive.

Key takeaways from the match highlight the Lightning’s struggles, as this loss marks their fourth consecutive defeat on the road. Meanwhile, the Devils have improved to 19-10-2 following a rough patch that included a 3-0 loss to Calgary on November 1.

A crucial moment in the game occurred when Markstrom thwarted a couple of Lightning power play chances early in the third, including a highlight-reel glove save against Brayden Point at 3:19.

Statistically, the Devils continue to excel with a remarkable 21-0-1 record when leading after two periods. Jack Hughes stands out as the team’s leading scorer with 52 points.

Looking ahead, the Lightning will face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, while the Devils prepare to host the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, on Tuesday.