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Devils rally late to defeat Blackhawks
Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes score 19 seconds apart in third period comeback
Mar. 30, 2026 at 5:46am
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The New Jersey Devils rallied from a late 3-2 deficit, scoring two goals in 19 seconds to defeat the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Sunday evening. Dougie Hamilton tied the game with a wrist shot at 14:32 of the third period, and Jack Hughes scored the go-ahead goal on a breakaway just 19 seconds later to lift the Devils to victory.
Why it matters
The win keeps the Devils in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, as they look to secure a postseason berth. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, continue to struggle, having lost five of their last six games and sitting well out of the playoff picture in the West.
The details
The Blackhawks opened the scoring in the first period after a miscue by Devils goaltender Jake Allen, but the Devils responded with a power-play goal from Connor Brown to tie it 1-1. Chicago regained the lead later in the first, but Simon Nemec tied it 2-2 in the second period. The Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead in the third on a Frank Nazar power-play goal, but the Devils stormed back with the late rally from Hamilton and Hughes to secure the victory.
- The game was played on Sunday, March 30, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey.
- Hamilton tied the game at 3-3 with 5:28 remaining in the third period.
- Hughes scored the go-ahead goal just 19 seconds later, at 14:51 of the third period.
- Hughes added an empty-net goal with 31 seconds left to seal the 5-3 win.
The players
Dougie Hamilton
A veteran defenseman for the New Jersey Devils who scored the game-tying goal late in the third period.
Jack Hughes
The young star center for the New Jersey Devils who scored the go-ahead goal and added an empty-net tally to secure the victory.
Frank Nazar
A forward for the Chicago Blackhawks who scored two goals, including a power-play tally that gave the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead in the third period.
Jake Allen
The goaltender for the New Jersey Devils who made 28 saves to earn the win.
Spencer Knight
The goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks who made 35 saves in the losing effort.
What they’re saying
“We never give up, that's the mentality of this team. We knew we had time to come back and we did just that.”
— Dougie Hamilton, Defenseman, New Jersey Devils
“It's tough to lose a game like that, but we have to learn from it and keep pushing forward.”
— Frank Nazar, Forward, Chicago Blackhawks
What’s next
The Devils will look to build on this comeback win as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Blackhawks will try to regroup and end their recent skid.
The takeaway
The Devils' late-game heroics showcased the team's resilience and ability to rally, an important quality as they fight for a postseason berth. For the struggling Blackhawks, the loss highlighted their need to find more consistency and close out games, especially against playoff-contending opponents.
