That was…something. Friday afternoon’s annual Trade Deadline was a mixed bag around The NHL. Some moves were made. A few caught people off guard. But, for the most part, it was definitely one of the duller – weirder – ones in recent memory. But that was then and this is now. 

Saturday afternoon, at Prudential Center, the New Jersey Devils hosted the New York Rangers in the first meeting of the season between the two archrivals. Neither team did anything of consequence at the deadline and, given where each team is in the standings, Saturday’s game had an odd feel to it. Aside from the Devils’ 6-3 victory, fueled by Jack Hughes’ fourth career hat-trick, there wasn’t much to this game from a standings perspective, even though it was New Jersey’s fourth win in a row.

“I mean, first of all, we’re healthy,” said Hughes. “That’s a big thing. We haven’t been healthy since November. So we’re finally healthy. Think guys are confident and when the group starts to roll, everyone’s feeling good about their game. The group’s feeling better about themselves. So yeah, I think we’re in a good groove right now. But like I said, it’s all about just being present, staying in the moment and just keeping at it.”

Jacob Markstrom was opposed by Jonathan Quick in net, with New Jersey’s netminder stopping 17 of the 20 shots he faced, while New York’s veteran goalie saved 29 out of 34. 

So, rather than focus on the short-term results of this game, both teams should be focusing on the future. How far into the future is the question and how do they go about re-focusing now that the deadline has passed?

“I mean, I think our team’s been in a good place, so I don’t think we need to refocus,” Devils’ Head Coach Sheldon Keefe said before the game. “We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing since we’ve come back from the break. I like where our mindset has been. I liked how we’ve played. As I’ve said a number of times, it took a little bit. 

“The Buffalo and Pittsburgh games, the third period, we let some points get away on us with those periods, where we liked our games. We were set up to win those games and now the results are starting to come with more of a three-period type of effort and execution. So yeah, I wasn’t concerned about our team being distracted based on the way they were practicing and playing and less so now.”

“Well, where we are, I think, is obvious,” Rangers’ Head Coach Mike Sullivan said before the game. “We’re gonna try to continue to win games. We’re gonna try to continue to find out about our group. We’re gonna continue to try to move the needle and get better every day. And so, we’ll push these guys every day. We’re gonna try to win the game right in front of us. We’ll learn through the experiences along the way. But that will be the approach. 

“I just think our compete level’s high. I give the guys a lot of credit. They’re battling. We’re competing hard. We’re trying to win every game in front of us. We’ve had ups and downs throughout the course of games, whether it be giving up goals early in the game or giving up four in a row and then trying to find a way to fight back. 

“There’s been a number of ebbs and flows throughout the course of games, but I give our players a lot of credit. I think there’s been a lot of noise around the group and I think these guys just continue to rally around one another. They’re trying to control what they can and that always starts with our competitive spirit.”

Given how the 6-3 game unfolded, it appears Keefe was the more accurate coach when describing his team’s focus and mindset. 

Jesper Bratt got things going early for the Devils when he scored off a cross-ice pass from Cody Glass at 1:05 of the first period, 1-0 New Jersey. 

“Great play right off the bat,” said Bratt. “I mean, great zone entry from the beginning when Cody (Glass) steps up and he just shows that perfect composure finding me on the backside. I was really happy putting that in and just great, great play; fun starting game.”

2:12 later, Nick Bjugstad was sent to the box for high-sticking Jaroslav Chmelar. The Devils killed off the penalty and then, 1:08 after Bjugstad returned, Vincent Trocheck left a little drop pass for Will Borgen, who sent a shot from long-range past Markstrom to tie the game 1-1.

A couple of shifts later, Bjugstad fired high on a breakaway chance and then the Rangers went back up the ice. After a brief change of possession, Noah Laba fed Vladislav Gavrikov at the top of the left circle and New York’s defenseman wired a shot past Markstrom to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 8:36 of the first period. 

Gavrikov committed an interference penalty against Paul Cotter with 1:54 left in the opening period. On the power-play for the first time in the game, New Jersey went to work. Luke Hughes sent a shot down low and Dawson Mercer tipped it past Quick for the game-tying power-play goal with 15 seconds left in the first period. 

The second period was fairly tame for the first 10 minutes, with only a Jack Hughes interference penalty at 9:18 to write home about. (It was just Hughes’ second minor penalty of the season). Then, at 13:52, Trocheck slashed Brenden Dillon to give the Devils their second power-play of the game. Just as the penalty was expiring, Hughes fired a blast from the point through traffic that beat Quick to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead.

Just 1:01 after Hughes’ goal, Will Cuylle tipped a long shot from Braden Schneider past Markstrom to tie the game 3-3. Then it was onto the third period.

For two teams with a heated rivalry, it took until the final period for that side of things to show up. 2:21 into the third period, Arseny Gritsyuk and Jusso Parssinen got tangled up after the latter committed an interference penalty against Paul Cotter. Gritsyuk threw several punches, which “awarded” him a double-minor. 

“That’s big from Grits,” Hischier said after the game. “I mean, it’s a little dirty play in my eyes, I feel like. That’s what good teammates do. They step up for each other and no problem for us, (we) will kill it. Stuff like that, we’ll definitely kill it.”

“We’re always stepping up for each other,” added Bratt. “Grits makes a great play. I mean, we’re killing that penalty every day for a guy that’s stepping up and defending another guy like that. Great job of him getting out of his comfort zone a little bit. I think he responded good and I think the team responded good as well. Energy always seems to be ramped up against the Rangers a little bit. It just brings out that extra motivation, extra rivalry mentality a little bit. I mean, last couple years it’s been great matchups with them and it is definitely one of those games you look at the schedule a little extra when you play the Rangers.”

Shortly after the teams returned to full strength, at 7:19 of the third period, Will Cuylle hooked Timo Meier to send the Devils to their third power-play of the game. 46 seconds into the power-play, Nico Hischier corralled the puck off a rebound in the slot, spun around and fired the puck past Quick to give the Devils a 4-3 lead and their third power-play goal of the game.

Brenden Dillon sent the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty at 10:57. The Devils killed off that penalty to complete a perfect four-for-four penalty-killing performance on the day. 

Jack Hughes salted the game away with two goals in the final 3:04 of the game to give the Devils their 6-3 margin of victory. The first was a breakaway goal with 3:04 left in the third period. The second was an empty-netter with 33 seconds left in the game to complete his hat-trick. It was the 29th career multi-goal game for Hughes and his fourth career hat-trick. 

“I mean, even the Buffalo (and) Pittsburgh games, I thought we played good hockey,” Hughes said after New Jersey’s win over the Rangers. “It’s more just about being able to finish a job and we’re on a good little run here. So we just gotta be very present, very in the moment and see what happens. But all we can worry about is one period at a time and just keep our game going.”