Team USA’s golden goal scorer just added another feat to his resume.
In a 6-3 home victory over the New York Rangers, the New Jersey Devils won the Hudson River Rivalry, with some help from a newly-crowned national hero.
Jack Hughes, center for the Devils, has been a superstar for the team. Hughes is the alternate captain, and has pushed the Devils to playoff runs and has scored numerous game-winning goals.
To start what would eventually become a hat trick, Hughes’ first goal came on a power play in the second period, assisted by Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton.
With less than five minutes left in the third period, Hughes would score again, assisted by Connor Brown.
Two and a half minutes later in the third period, Hughes capped off the hat trick. Assisted again by Connor Brown and Johnathan Kovacevic, Hughes shot the puck into an empty net, and hats started to fly onto the ice.
This is Hughes’ second hat trick of the 2025-26 NHL Season, and the three goals against the Rangers were his first since returning from Milan, where he scored the game-winning goal for the US Men’s Hockey Team to win their first Gold Medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice series, in Lake Placid.
Hughes has quickly become a national legend, and his teeth (or lack thereof) have made his likeness known, as during the Gold Medal Game, he was high-sticked, and knocked out two front teeth.
Hughes said the following about the Devils: “I thought we’ve played good hockey, it’s more about being able to finish the job. We’re on a good little run here, We’ve just got to be very present, very in the moment, and see what happens.”
Hughes has 24 career goals against the Rangers, and is one of the best Ranger Killers, a nickname given to Devils players who score the most against their heated rival team.
In spite of a dull season for the Devils, the win against the Rangers still helped the team, as they improved to a 32-29-2 record, and are catching the Philadelphia Flyers for sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. The Devils are second-to-last in the Metropolitan, only ahead of the Rangers.
The Devils aren’t likely to make the playoffs this season, however with the superstar that Jack Hughes is becoming, the next few seasons for the team look bright.
