Devils Rally Past Bruins in OT

New Jersey overcomes early deficit to stun Boston in extra time

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:48am

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The New Jersey Devils rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime on Monday night. Paul Cotter scored the game-winning goal with just 6.2 seconds left in OT to complete the comeback. Jack Hughes had three assists for the Devils, who have struggled for much of the season but played spoiler against a Bruins team fighting for a playoff spot.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the potential of the Devils when healthy, as they were able to overcome an early deficit against a strong Bruins team. However, the Devils' inconsistent season raises questions about whether they should run it back with a similar roster next year or make changes, given Jack Hughes' injury history.

The details

The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. But the Devils rallied in the second period, with Connor Brown, Jesper Bratt, and Cotter scoring to tie the game at 3-3. In overtime, Charlie McAvoy hit the post for the Bruins before Cotter scored the winner for the Devils off a pass from Hughes.

  • The game was played on Monday, March 17, 2026.
  • Pastrnak scored just 4:02 into the first period to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
  • Zacha made it 2-0 Bruins at the 14:29 mark of the first period.
  • Brown scored 32 seconds into the second period to get the Devils on the board.
  • Bratt tied the game at 2-2 at the 8:08 mark of the second period.
  • Cotter's first goal of the night gave the Devils a 3-2 lead 2:50 into the third period.
  • Pastrnak scored again to tie the game at 3-3 just a couple minutes later in the third period.
  • Cotter scored the game-winning goal with just 6.2 seconds left in overtime.

The players

Paul Cotter

A forward for the New Jersey Devils who scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead the comeback against the Bruins.

Jack Hughes

A star center for the New Jersey Devils who had three assists in the game, setting up the game-winning goal in overtime.

David Pastrnak

A forward for the Boston Bruins who scored two goals in the game, but couldn't prevent the Bruins from blowing their lead.

Charlie McAvoy

A defenseman for the Boston Bruins who had a chance to win the game in overtime but hit the post.

Jacob Markstrom

The goaltender for the New Jersey Devils who made key saves to allow his team to mount the comeback.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Devils will travel to take on the New York Rangers on Wednesday, March 19, 2026 in the second of three meetings between the Hudson River rivals this season.

The takeaway

This game showed the resilience and potential of the Devils when healthy, but also raised questions about whether they should run it back with a similar roster next season given Jack Hughes' injury history and the team's inconsistent performance throughout the year.