deadspin
On Tuesday night, the Edmonton Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, will visit the New Jersey Devils, backstopped by Connor Hellebuyck, in a battle between two of the NHL's hottest teams. The Oilers are closing out a three-game road trip and seeking their fourth straight victory, while the Devils have won each of the last four head-to-head meetings—a streak Edmonton is eager to end.
Edmonton's recent surge has been powered by stifling defense. During their three-game winning streak, the Oilers have surrendered just one goal, posting consecutive 4-0 shutouts over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday and the New York Islanders on Saturday before topping the New York Rangers 4-1 on Sunday. Against the Rangers, McDavid extended his NHL-record season-opening assist streak to 15 games and became the fastest player in league history to reach 30 assists. Evan Bouchard contributed a goal and two assists, giving him 26 points and making him the fourth defenseman in NHL history to record at least 25 points in the first 15 games of a season. Colton Dach scored twice for his first career multi-goal game, Leon Draisaitl added two assists, and Matt Tomkins, playing his first NHL game since 2024, made 27 saves. The win also pushed Edmonton's road record to a perfect 7-0-0.
"There's nothing better than winning on the road," McDavid said. "Honestly, our team loves it. Coming into a tough building on a back-to-back against a rested team, these are the wins that you thrive in, and you want to dig in and find a way to get. Tonight was a big one."
Meanwhile, the Devils have won five of their last six games and haven't lost at home since Oct. 12. They are well-rested after wrapping up a three-game road trip on Friday with two wins in three games. New Jersey opened the trip with a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars, stumbled to a 5-2 loss against the Colorado Avalanche, and rebounded with a 5-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jack Hughes and Arseny Gritsyuk each scored twice against Vegas, while Hellebuyck made 19 saves to earn his second win with the Devils since being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23.
"He's a Hall of Fame goalie," Luke Hughes said of Hellebuyck. "He's unbelievable. It's been fun to play with him."
New Jersey opened the scoring against Vegas with an early goal from Luke Hughes before falling into a 2-1 hole late in the first period. The Devils rallied to tie it before the end of the frame and then earned the win behind goals from Jack Hughes and Gritsyuk. "We're developing great confidence around here in our ability," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "We had to refocus and get ready for here (after the loss to Colorado). It was another really good team. The guys responded the way we wanted. .. In terms of playing with a lead, it's probably the best third period we've had in the season. We couldn't ask for more in terms of the response."
Key Analysis
The matchup features a classic strength-versus-strength showdown: Edmonton's red-hot offense, led by McDavid's record-setting playmaking, against New Jersey's stout home defense and the reliable goaltending of Hellebuyck. The Oilers' perfect road record will be put to the test by a Devils team that has not lost on home ice in nearly a month. With both teams riding momentum, Tuesday's clash could serve as an early-season statement game.
Originally reported by deadspin.