Yegor Sharangovich’s Huge Night Could Be Exactly What New Jersey Devils Need

The New Jersey Devils have been waiting and waiting for Yegor Sharangovich to break out and have a big game. Heck, the Devils just needed him to score one goal. He was goalless for the entire season up until now, but Lindy Ruff tried something on Saturday. He put Sharangovich on a line with Dawson Mercer and Jesper Bratt. It undoubtedly worked, as Sharangovich scored two goals and Mercer scored another.

Mercer and Bratt have been great together. In fact, Bratt had a very slow start to the season until he was paired with Mercer. Now, he looks like the fastest player on the ice. He makes plays that literally nobody else on the team can, and there are times Bratt makes plays all by himself. It makes sense that the Devils felt like pairing Mercer with Sharangovich could provide some magic.

The first goal by Sharangovich felt like the goals he scored last season. He was in the right place at the right time and he took a pass that he immediately turned into a shot on net. It got past Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Yegor Sharangovich finally had a big night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

That tied the game, However, it didn’t last long. The Devils would eventually go down 3-1. It looked like the Devils weren’t able to hit back, but then the third period happened. The Devils were looking like they were ready to make a move, and it happened early in the period.

Dawson Mercer had an insane goal to make it 3-2. He was skating around the net, but instead of continuing, he snuck the puck behind Vasilevskiy on his way around. That came just over a minute into the period. Then, four minutes later, Jimmy Vesey took a marvelous pass from P.K. Subban to get a breakaway. He beat the goalie and tied the game.

On the Devils fourth and go-ahead goal, Jesper Bratt made an amazing move in the zone, and he passed the puck out of the corner right to Sharangovich.

Not only was Sharangovich scoring, but he scored two goals that were incredibly important. He also had an assist on Mercer’s goal, showing he can have an impact on the players he’s playing with, too.

The Devils can only hope this leads to more good fortune for Sharangovich’s season. This win was huge, and it helped the Devils keep themselves above water. They ended the Lightning’s nine-game point streak, showing they can stand toe to toe with the best in the league. After the destruction at the hands of the Florida Panthers, it’s good they were able to bounce back with a come-from-behind win.