The New Jersey Devils got their first win of the season on Saturday night, dominating the Tampa Bay Lightning from start to finish. There were some moments that scared fans, like when they cut the lead to 3-2 at the end of the second period and when they sent an all-out assault at the end of the game after Jacob Markstrom got a delay of game penalty near the end of the third period.
In the third period, when it looked like the worst was coming and it would be the “same old Devils,” they struck. First, it was Jesper Bratt scoring while killing a penalty, but then a few seconds later, Connor Brown threw one at the net that surprised Andrei Vasilevskiy.
It was the second goal of the game for Brown, who came over to the Devils this offseason on a four-year deal worth $3 million per season. Many were surprised at the term that Brown demanded, but after back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final and the impact he has on the Devils’ biggest weakness (the bottom six), Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald probably felt the need to go the extra year to get the deal done.
Brown’s impact on Saturday night is exactly why the Devils needed him. He’s the “cherry on top” of an offense led by Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Nico Hischier. When the top guys are on the bench, the Devils still need to contribute offensively.
That was a huge reason they faltered in the second half of last season. The bottom-six scoring dried up like a raisin. Brown is a representation of that scoring coming back.
Brown was on the ice for two goals against, but he was only on the ice for one high-danger chance against. Most fans know Jacob Markstrom has to be better, so that’s not a concern from Brown’s point of view.
Connor Brown is already proving to be worth the money
Meanwhile, he scored two goals at very important times. His first goal was the second of the game, and it came less than two minutes after Meier opened the scoring. His second goal was the fifth goal for the Devils, and it put the game out of reach.
Many believe that Brown took close to two years to recover from an injury he suffered in 2022, and this shows that he’s back to the player he was earlier in his career. He had 21 goals in the 56-game 2020-21 season. That is a 31-goal pace over 82 games. If Brown can find his scoring touch in New Jersey, he could easily score 20 goals on this team.
With Brown scoring two goals tonight and Cody Glass scoring a goal against the Hurricanes, this third line is looking very good. Pairing them with rookie Arseny Gritsyuk makes so much sense. His dynamic skill opens up space for them both to score. Plus, they play smart on both side, which is a point of growth for Gritsyuk.
Brown is already a good signing, but if this is how he plays over 82 games, the Devils might be really good. Just like we shouldn’t overreact from Game 1, the Devils fanbase shouldn’t call for a championship after Game 2. Showing you can dominate in a game against the Lightning in their home opener is a moment of clarity for this team. Brown helped bring that clarity to light.