Devils Rally Past Blackhawks With 3 Goals in 3rd

J. Hughes scores twice as New Jersey comes back from 3-2 deficit

Mar. 30, 2026 at 1:51am

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The New Jersey Devils rallied with three unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on March 29, 2026. Forward Jack Hughes scored twice, including the game-winning goal, to lead the comeback effort. The Blackhawks had taken a 3-2 lead early in the third period before the Devils stormed back.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Devils in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, while the loss extends the Blackhawks' losing streak to three games as they continue to struggle this season. The comeback victory showcases the Devils' resilience and offensive firepower, led by the standout performance of Jack Hughes.

The details

The Blackhawks opened the scoring in the first period when Ilya Mikheyev capitalized on a mistake by Devils goaltender Jake Allen. The Devils tied it on a power-play goal by Connor Brown, but Frank Nazar put Chicago back ahead 2-1 in the second period. Defenseman Simon Nemec then tied the game at 2-2 late in the second. In the third, Nazar scored on a 5-on-3 power play to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead, but the Devils stormed back. Dougie Hamilton tied the game at 3-3, and then Jack Hughes scored the go-ahead goal just 19 seconds later. Hughes added an empty-net goal to seal the 5-3 victory.

  • The game was played on March 29, 2026.
  • The Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead at 10:51 of the third period.
  • The Devils scored three unanswered goals in the final 5:28 of the third period to rally for the win.

The players

Jack Hughes

The 24-year-old forward for the New Jersey Devils scored two goals, including the game-winner, to lead his team's comeback.

Frank Nazar

The 20-year-old forward for the Chicago Blackhawks scored two goals, his first career multi-goal NHL game.

Jake Allen

The 31-year-old goaltender for the New Jersey Devils made 27 saves to earn the win.

Spencer Knight

The 24-year-old goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks made 35 saves in the loss.

Connor Bedard

The 19-year-old forward for the Chicago Blackhawks recorded an assist on Nazar's power-play goal in the third period.

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What they’re saying

“We never gave up and kept battling back. That's the kind of resilience this team has shown all season.”

— Jack Hughes, Forward, New Jersey Devils

“It's tough to let a lead slip away like that, but credit to the Devils for their push in the third period. We need to find a way to close out games better.”

— Frank Nazar, Forward, Chicago Blackhawks

What’s next

The Devils will look to build on this comeback win as they continue their playoff push, while the Blackhawks will aim to end their losing streak in their next game.

The takeaway

This game showcased the offensive firepower and resilience of the New Jersey Devils, who refused to be deterred by a late deficit and stormed back with three unanswered goals to secure a crucial victory. The performance of young stars like Jack Hughes and Frank Nazar also highlighted the promising future of both franchises.