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Two Wins Tucked Away: Mercer Powers Devils to Victory Ahead of Home Opener

  Photo: Andrew MacLean The New Jersey Devils survived a chaotic, late-game flurry in Columbus to secure their second straight victory on Monday night, defeating the Blue Jackets 3-2 to cap off their opening road trip. The star of the dramatic finish was forward Dawson Mercer, who netted a pair of goals—including the decisive empty-net marker—that momentarily gave the Devils a two-goal cushion before the Blue Jackets scored with 20 seconds left to keep the tension high until the final horn. Having collected four points out of a possible six on the road, New Jersey now turns its focus to the familiar roar of the Prudential Center crowd. The team finally heads home to Newark, where they will open their home slate on Thursday night with a pivotal early-season clash against the formidable Florida Panthers. New Jersey Devils Lineup: Palat - Hughes - Bratt Meier - Hischier - Mercer Gritsyuk - Glass - Brown Cotter - Glendening - Halonen Hughes - Pesce Siegenthaler - Hamilton Dillon - Neme...
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Connor Clifton Scores 1st Goal of the Season in a 2-1 Victory vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 2/23/24

 




*Sorry for the lack of photos! Hoping to get permission eventually.*


   The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, February 23rd at the Nationwide Arena. It was a game that would've gone either way, however, Connor Clifton called it wraps in the third period with his first goal since March 2nd, 2023 against the Boston Bruins. Clifton ended a 71-game drought for the 2-1 final.


Sabres lineup against the Blue Jackets:

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch

Greenway - Mittelstadt - Cozens

Benson - Krebs - Peterka

Robinson - Girgensons - Okposo


Dahlin - Jokiharju

Bryson - Clifton

Clague - Johnson


Luukkonen

Comrie


Blue Jackets lineup against the Sabres:

Gaudreau - Jenner - Roslovic

Chinakhov - Voronkov - Marchenko

Johnson - Sillinger - Danforth

Texier - Kuraly - Olivier


Werenski - Boqvist

Provorov - Severson

Bean - Gudbranson


Tarasov

Merzlikins


   Dmitri Voronkov gave Columbus the 1-0 lead on the power play with his 15th goal of the season. Voronkov tapped in a goalmouth pass off Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's right pad from Kirill Marchenko, who was at the right of the net. At 3:44 of the first period, Zemgus Girgensons tied the game 1-1 when he sent a shot from near the left wall through bodies. Girgensons has goals in two straight games.


   The score remained through the whole second period, 1-1. However, early into the third period at 16:55, Connor Clifton broke the tie to put Buffalo ahead 2-1. He shot from the right point and the puck deflected off Daniil Tarasov's right shoulder and into the net. In the remainder of the third period, the score stayed at 2-1 and the Buffalo Sabres got their second-straight win.




Connor Clifton on how the team stuck with it and the 2-1 victory: "We've had the same mindset... We were just getting to the net and we played pretty good. That first period was back and forth and they obviously got the first one. It didn't change our game though," - "It's great. I just talked a little bit about our mindset and earlier in the year, they score first and we kind of go, oh no, and then it snowballs and we don't play to our potential. But it's been great the past couple of games."


Yegor Chinakhov on the loss and getting more shots on net: "Maybe a little bit more shots and hit the net. I think we'll be good... Just try to hit more, maybe pots, and try to play on the rebound."




Notes:

- Adam Boqvist has played 200 NHL career games

- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves for Buffalo and Daniil Tarasov made 35 saves for Columbus.


 




Postgame: Kyle Okposo

Postgame: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Postgame: Don Granato




 

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