Vitek Vaneck and Jack Hughes Shine In Devils Home Opener

Prudential Center, Newark, NJ – While Jack Hughes will steal all the headlines because of his highlight reel goals, the story of the New Jersey Devils home opening win against the Detroit Red Wings was goaltender Vitek Vanecek.

We know the struggles of Vanecek last year in the playoffs. But remember he did have a great regular-season recording 33 wins as the Devils had a 110-point season. Again Vanecek was the first goaltender since Martin Brodeur to record at least 30 wins in a season. So it is not like he wasn’t capable of carrying this team to victory.

However, the Devils’ goaltending was exposed in the playoffs, especially against Carolina. Thus the talk of having to get maybe a true number one goalie. And maybe the Devils will still do that, but the opening night was about the performance of Vitek Vanecek. He really showed that he could make the big saves at least for one night.

“Vitek made a lot of good saves until we found our game,” New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. “We didn’t want to start a game like that; they were the better team in the first period. I thought we turned the corner in the second but overall, it wasn’t by any means a Picasso that we drew up there.”

The Devils had a slow first period. They were outshot 14-6 in the opening session. Vanecek had to be sharp early. Especially when Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin had a chance shorthanded. And we know the Devils give up their fair share of shorthanded goals. But there was Vanecek coming up with the goods stopping Larkin and keeping the game scoreless. Later he stopped Andrew Copp right in the slot.

Vanecek’s performance carried over into period two where again he had to big good. While the Devils found their legs and got opportunities on Red Wings goalie Ville Husso, the Red Wings were still controlling play and the shot totals. After the Devils had a chance to open the scoring, Detroit came the other way with a chance of their own, but Vanecek was there. As the fans rewarded him with ‘Vitek, Vitek, Vitek’ chants all night.

Now would he have liked to have Daniel Sprong‘s goal back? Sure. But it was a scramble in front where the puck pinballed off several players including Sprong before entering the net. However, moments before Vanecek robbed Sprong. But still, any goalie would like to have that one back. He did his best to make the other shots did not go in.

However, thanks to Vitek Vanecek keeping the Devils in the game it led to the Jack Hughes show. Hughes, who was one shy of 100 points last season, 99 points to be exact, opened the scoring on the power play banking the puck off of Husso’s head. That power-play goal changed the game for the Devils.

“You guys have seen me score those goals my whole career, so I think goalies have a pretty good read on me that I like to shoot from those spots,” Jack Hughes said. “But that was just where I wanted to put it. I think it went right where I wanted it to go.”

The Devils started to dominate play. They were moving their feet and looking to take the lead. Eventually, they did when Hughes got his second highlight reel goal of the night. This time he was falling to his knees as he shot upstairs over Husso.

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However, the Devils could not carry that momentum into the third period. And while Vanecek played well, the Devils undisciplined play led to the tying goal on the power play off the stick of Alex DeBrincat. Again the Devils were sloppy in their own zone, something head coach Lindy Ruff was not happy about.

“I had individuals that didn’t have a very good night,” said Ruff. I can point to a lot of different players and a lot of different lines. Every line had something missing, so it was hard to get some continuous flow in the game when maybe two guys are going pretty good and one guy wasn’t.”

The Devils took the lead once and for all as Dougie Hamilton made it 3-2. Again it seemed like that goal woke up the Devils. It led to Ondrej Palat drawing a penalty as the Devils once again found their legs. It was an average game for the Devils. Something Ruff reiterated over and over again in the post-game press conference.

“We had an average game. Knowing you did not play your best, but still found a win to win the game is a positive,” Ruff said. “I thought there was stuff inside of the game you like as a coach. “We got quite a few new pieces we got to continue to continue to grow as a team.”

In the end, it was Vitek Vanecek coming up big for the Devils. He played with so much confidence. with play going four-on-four after the Devils took the lead. Again New Jersey gave back many power play chances. The team would have liked to play better, however, they got the win.

And it was because of Vitek Vanecek’s performance. He earned second star performances stopping 32 of 35 shots faced. Most of them were of a high-quality nature. Meanwhile, Jack Hughes took home the first star with his two-goal performance.

The Devils know they will need to play better moving forward, but in Game 1 of the season, they sent their fans home happy.