NEWARK, N.J. — It was the Jakob Silfverberg Show.
Until it wasn’t.
The Ducks squandered a strong showing from the veteran Swedish forward who gave them a burst of energy and offense, scoring twice in the first period against the New Jersey Devils. But the struggling Devils — searching for their first win — fought back and took territorial control, scoring four consecutive goals to defeat the Ducks, 4-2, on Tuesday night at Prudential Center.
The Ducks are 1-3, while New Jersey is 1-2.
Silfverberg had been scratched against the New York Rangers on Monday, having been under the weather recently and still trying to get back to full speed after suffering a blood clot in his leg last season.
Scoring for the Devils were forwards Ondrej Palat and Nico Hischier and defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Dawson Mercer. Hamilton had the game-winner just 33 seconds into the third period, making it 3-2. He was set up by Jesper Bratt, who was a force all night.
The Ducks won their season-opening game against Seattle but have dropped all three games on this trip, giving up 17 goals in the three losses. It was the first start of the season for Ducks goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who came in on relief for John Gibson to start the third period against the New York Islanders on Saturday and again in the final 20 minutes against the Rangers on Monday. Stolarz, like Gibson, was kept busy, facing 41 shots against the Devils.
It was the second meeting between the Ducks’ Trevor Zegras and the Devils’ Jack Hughes — good friends and one-time teammates in USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. Neither got on the scoresheet the first time they faced off as NHLers — the Devils defeated the Ducks, 2-1, in a shootout here last season (March 12).
Hughes was the far more noticeable of the two in this particular meeting, recording an assist in the first period, and another assist in the third period. He came close to scoring on a breakaway with 3:48 left in the second period, but he was denied by Stolarz. Zegras had no shots on goal in 21-plus minutes of action.
