The Luke Bowl: Devils Fall 2-1 as Canucks Win First Post-Quinn Game

The usual “Hughes Bowl” rivalry between the Devils and Canucks took on a bizarre new dynamic in Newark on Sunday afternoon. With Jack Hughes sidelined by injury and Quinn Hughes already traded to the Minnesota Wild, the spotlight belonged squarely to the youngest brother, Luke Hughes. He did not disappoint, scoring the Devils’ lone goal, but his efforts weren’t enough as the Canucks secured a tight 2-1 victory, snapping their two-game skid. The New Jersey loss was decided by the very trade that changed Vancouver’s defense: the game-winning marker came from Zeev Buium, who scored his first goal as a Canuck since being acquired from the Wild. Buium and Jake DeBrusk provided the needed offense for Vancouver, sending the Devils to a frustrating home defeat in what truly felt like a turning point game for both franchises.

Vancouver Canucks Lineup:

DeBrusk – Rossi – Boeser
Hoglander – Kampf – Garland
Kane – O’Connor – Sherwood
Ohgren – Sasson – Karlsson

Pettersson – Hronek
Buium – Myers
Pettersson – Willander

Demko
Lankinen

New Jersey Devils Lineup:

Bratt – Hischier – Mercer
Palat – Glass – Brown
Cotter – Lammikko – Noesen
Parent – Glendening – Crookshank

Siegenthaler – Hamilton
Dillon – Hughes
Cholowski – White

Markstrom
Allen

Jake DeBrusk opened the scoring early in the game at 18:59 of the first period, giving the Canucks a 1-0 lead, scoring his ninth goal of the season off a rebound at the right post of a shot by Conor Garland, who shot from the right circle. At 13:12, Zeev Buium made it 2-0 for Vancouver on his fourth of the season and first as a Canuck when his cross-ice dump-in from the left face-off circle deflected off Brenden Dillon’s stick outside the right post and past Jacob Markstrom for a power-play goal.

Luke Hughes found the back of the net for his third goal of the season, preventing a shutout for Thatcher Demko when he cut the deficit 2-1 at 15:58 of the second frame off a back pass from Jesper Bratt, who took a pass from Dawson Mercer before passing it to Hughes. He struck from the high slot, scoring on a stunning wrist shot.