The New Jersey Devils kept pace with the Carolina Hurricanes atop the Metropolitan Division with a 3-2 victory over Columbus on Tuesday night.
In a game that featured three different lead changes, the Devils never trailed. Yegor Sharangovich, Jesper Bratt and Ryan Graves all netted goals for the Devils in the win, with Graves providing the game winner with 1.4 seconds left in regulation.
RYAN GRAVES WITH 1.4 SECONDS LEFT FOR THE DUB 🚨 pic.twitter.com/znw6w95ccz
— NHL (@NHL) February 15, 2023
The score was set up by Mike McCleod who took a pass from Ondrej Palat, skated up the middle of center ice toward the net, before spinning past a defender and tapping it over the Graves who was waiting for the puck in the blue paint in front of the net to poke it in for the game winner.
“I kinda saw it pop through a hole. It was a nice play by (Mike McCleod)” Graves said in the postgame.
“You have an idea how much time is left. You can take that risk.”
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) February 15, 2023
🎥 McLeod: https://t.co/LMDBsSSCi6
🎥 Bratt: https://t.co/SjhfHFSxHC
🎥 Ruff: https://t.co/xgJRo8vr2F
🎥 Graves: ⤵️#Sponsored | @Genucel pic.twitter.com/l94gbLJaQr
New Jersey stands at 35-13-5 on the season. With 75 points to their credit, the Devs are just three points behind Carolina for first place in the Metro. Jersey faces St. Louis on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Islanders suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of Ottawa in a shootout. It marks the seventh time this year New York has suffered an overtime loss and fourth time suffering a loss via shootout.
The Islanders have now lost three straight, all of them by one goal.
The Isles had a chance to win the game outright in the overtime, but couldn’t take advantage of a powerplay against Ottawa. That set up Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson with the game winning shots in the shootout.
The Isles are a point behind Washington for the final wild card slot in the East.