In a season-defining stumble, the Edmonton Oilers fell 5-3 on the road to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon, succumbing to a blistering third-period run by their opponents that turned the game on its head.
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First period: high hopes, little payoff
The Oilers entered the contest full of confidence—coming off three consecutive wins—and looked in control early. They out-shot New Jersey 9-4 in the opening frame, dominating possession and generating several quality looks at the net.
Yet despite their dominance, Edmonton left the first period goalless. The most telling moment arrived when a three-on-two rush fizzled because the puck carrier opted to pass rather than shoot, underlining a lack of decisiveness.
For the Devils, their early foot traffic was minimal and low-level, but their goaltender remained sharp and they appeared calm, waiting to pounce on mistakes.
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Second period: the Devils strike first
The momentum swung in the second period when the Devils found their stride. At 11:53, Jack Hughes split two Oilers defenders with speed and snapped a wrist shot through to give New Jersey the lead.
Then, near the end of the period, a costly Oilers turnover led to a penalty. Just four seconds into the man-advantage, Devils captain Nico Hischier won the faceoff clean, Hughes picked up the puck, redirected it to Jesper Bratt who back-handed in the second goal. The Oilers went into the third trailing 2-0.
Edmonton did rally just before intermission—Ryan Nugent‑Hopkins slammed one home off a smart setup from Connor McDavid–cutting the lead to 2-1. But the momentum was shifting, and the Oilers were on the back foot.
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Third period: a painful collapse
What unfolded in the third was nothing short of disastrous for Edmonton. At 9:23, former Oiler Connor Brown struck shorthanded, capitalizing on a turnover for a breakaway goal that extended the Devils’ lead to 3-1.
Just 1:17 later, Hughes struck again, taking advantage of another Oilers miscue to make it 4-1 and effectively putting the game out of reach.
Though Nugent-Hopkins responded for Edmonton with a tap-in off a superb McDavid redirect (3:30 remaining, 4-2), it was far too late. The Devils sealed it with an empty-net goal from Dawson Mercer and a Stefan-like consolation marker by Curtis Lazar with 1.2 seconds left. The final: 5-3 Devils.
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Key takeaways
Special teams misstep: Edmonton went 0 for 3 on the power play and gave up a shorthanded goal for the second straight game—an alarming trend.
Turnovers punished: Two critical errors in the third period directly translated into goals the Oilers couldn’t recover from. Head coach Kris Knoblauch lamented the disconnect and said the team “felt a bit slower.”
Solid individual efforts not enough: Nugent-Hopkins’ two-goal night and McDavid’s two assists highlight offensive talent, yet the overall structure faltered.
Devils surge: New Jersey clinched their fourth straight win behind Hughes’ two-goal performance and 27-save effort from Jake Allen.
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Implications
For Edmonton, this loss marks their second consecutive defeat after an opening 3-0 streak. The early confidence is evaporating, and these back-to-back stumbles raise questions about consistency and mental resilience. McDavid noted the team needs to “do things a little bit easier and more predictable” to regain flow.
On the flip side, the Devils are building real momentum. Their defense tightened when it mattered, they capitalized on the Oilers’ mistakes, and their young core continues to step up.
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What’s next?
The Oilers head to Detroit looking for an immediate rebound; staying stagnant could spiral into a deeper funk. The Devils, meanwhile, carry their confidence into a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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In short, Edmonton’s stumble today wasn’t because of a lack of chance—it was a breakd
own of execution when it mattered most. And the Devils made them pay.
