Markstrom makes 32 saves, helps Devils edge Mammoth
“It was a great team effort,” Markstrom said. “The penalty kill came up big in the end of the second, early third, and also at the end of the game with 6-on-4. And then our power play gets us a big goal, so that’s the difference of the game.”
Stefan Noesen broke a tie early in the third period on the power play, Connor Brown also scored, and Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils (20-14-1), who have won four of their past six games (4-2-0).
“This one’s on him tonight,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said of Markstrom. “We don’t get the opportunity to hang around in the game and have big moments like we did in the third period with penalty kill and power play, if not for Markstrom and how he held us in.”
Daniil But scored his first NHL goal, and Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves for the Mammoth (17-17-3), who had won three of four.
“We did a lot of good stuff, obviously, dominated scoring chances, shots, stuff like that,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “I think we had a portion to put the game away when we had the lead, and we could not score the big goal, take advantage of our opportunity, and in the third they did a good job. Give them credit, but at the same time, we need to find a way to put pucks in the net, to find seams, and to create more chaos.”
