Watch: Luke Hughes First Goal Gives New Jersey Devils Record Setting Win

The New Jersey Devils had a lot on the line on Thursday night. An unlikely hero in Luke Hughes ended it to score multiple records for this team.

Luke Hughes’ season with the University of Michigan ended in sadness. The Wolverines lost to Quinnipiac last week, and the youngest Hughes brother immediately went to meet the New Jersey Devils in Boston. After a few days with the team, Hughes jumped into the lineup for the first time on Tuesday. He was the seventh defenseman, something that rarely works for the Devils. He only played 11 minutes, the lowest on the team.

On Thursday night, Luke Hughes was given a much bigger assignment. He was paired with Brendan Smith on a legitimate line. As of this writing, the advanced statistics showed Hughes played incredibly well. He had 18 chances while he was on the ice at 5v5 with just eight chances against (according to the most up-to-date stats from Natural Stat Trick). He didn’t give up many chances against, and he was on the ice for just one high-danger chance against.

Hughes played 21 minutes in his second NHL game, second on the team to Dougie Hamilton. Ruff already trusts him to play in most situations, and he put him on the ice multiple times in overtime. That ended up working amazingly, as we saw some of the amazing skills that made Luke worth the fourth-overall pick in the NHL Draft.

Just look at this goal. Hughes skates through two Capitals defensemen, hits the post with a shot, doesn’t panic and uses a wraparound to put the puck in the net.

The New Jersey Devils won 52 games in a season for the first time in franchise history. They also broke the franchise record for standings points with 112. Honestly, most Devils fans didn’t think this team was this good, even now. Would anyone put this team in the conversation with the teams being led by Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer? How about Zach Parise and an aging Martin Brodeur? This Devils team isn’t considered in that stratosphere, but that’s because it’s young and this is the first year outside a rebuild. This team is that good.

It’s only getting better because of players like Luke Hughes. What made this goal better is that his brother, Jack Hughes, was able to secure an assist. Seeing them on the ice together in overtime was surreal. Knowing that might be the way for the next 10-20 years gives us all chills inside. For now, let’s enjoy Luke Hughes’ first goal and debate whether he should be in the playoff lineup.