Devils down Leafs 6-5; Matthews scores two

The National Hockey League (NHL) game between the New Jersey Devils and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, March 23, 2023, was an exciting and high-scoring affair that saw the Devils emerge victorious with a score of 6-5. The win was crucial for the Devils, who were trying to secure a playoff spot, while the Maple Leafs, who were already in a strong position, were looking to continue their winning streak.

The first period was evenly matched, with both teams creating scoring opportunities, but neither able to find the back of the net. The deadlock was broken in the second period when Jesper Bratt, the Devils' right winger, scored his first goal of the game, assisted by defenseman Dougie Hamilton and center Jack Hughes, at the 8:37 mark. The Maple Leafs responded quickly, with Auston Matthews, their star center, scoring his first goal of the game just over a minute later, assisted by defenseman Morgan Rielly and left winger Michael Bunting.

The back-and-forth action continued, with Bratt scoring his second goal of the game at 11:38, this time assisted by center Nico Hischier and defenseman Damon Severson, putting the Devils up 2-1. However, the Maple Leafs once again responded, with Matthews netting his second goal of the game, this time unassisted, at 13:39, tying the score at 2-2.

The third period saw both teams trade goals, with the Devils taking the lead twice, only for the Maple Leafs to equalize each time. The Devils' defenseman, Jonas Siegenthaler, scored at 3:33, assisted by center Janne Kuokkanen and right winger Tomas Tatar, putting the Devils up 3-2. But the Maple Leafs' center, John Tavares, responded at 7:08, assisted by defenseman Rasmus Sandin and right winger Mitch Marner, tying the score at 3-3.

The Devils regained the lead when center Jesper Boqvist scored at 9:33, assisted by center Pavel Zacha and defenseman Ty Smith, making it 4-3. However, the Maple Leafs' left winger, William Nylander, equalized at 12:32, assisted by center David Kampf and defenseman Mark Giordano, making it 4-4.

With just over three minutes remaining, and the game looking set for overtime, Bratt struck again, scoring his hat-trick goal at 16:26, assisted by Hughes and Hamilton, putting the Devils up 5-4. But the drama was far from over, as the Maple Leafs' center, Alex Kerfoot, scored at 18:39, assisted by defenseman Jake Muzzin and right winger Ilyas Akbarov, tying the score at 5-5, and sending the game into overtime.

However, the Devils were not to be denied, and they secured the win when center Dawson Mercer scored the game-winning goal at 2:33 of overtime, assisted by center Yegor Sharangovich and defenseman Dougie Hamilton, giving them a hard-fought 6-5 victory.

The win was significant for the Devils, who were able to secure an important two points in their quest for a playoff spot, while the Maple Leafs, who had already clinched a playoff berth, were unable to extend their winning streak. The game also saw Auston Matthews continue his impressive season, with two goals taking his total to an NHL-leading 68, surpassing Connor McDavid's 67 goals. The Devils' Jesper Bratt also had an impressive night, scoring three goals and assisting one, while Dougie Hamilton had three assists. The win was also notable for the Devils' goaltender, Mackenzie Blackwood, who made 33 saves to secure the victory.