Devils rally spoils Henrique’s return
Stefan Noesen scored on a rebound with 4:07 to play and added an empty-net goal as the Devils rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Ducks 5-3 at Prudential Center on Monday night in the first game between the teams since the late November trade that sent defenseman Sami Vatanen to the Devils for the popular Adam Henrique.
“That was the icing on the cake and the cherry on top,” Noesen said of his fourth and fifth goals of the season.
Myles Wood had two goals, Jesper Bratt also scored and Brian Boyle added three assists as the Devils won their second straight game to start a sixgame homestand.
Cory Schneider made 21 saves and was helped by a goalpost on a shot by Rickard Rakell during a power play before Neosen, a former Duck, scored the go-ahead goal.
The Devils made Henrique feel welcome, putting a short tribute on the video scoreboard to celebrate his six-plus seasons in New Jersey.
“Nervous, anxious, excited,” Henrique said. “A little bit of everything came into it tonight. It was probably one of the longest games I’ve played, personally. I’m still disappointed to leave the points on the board.”
Ryan Getzlaf and Jakob Silfverberg also scored for Anaheim. Ryan Miller had 29 saves in losing for the first time in regulation (3-1-4) this season. Noesen put in his own rebound for his fourth goal of the season. His empty-net tally came after Schneider stopped Henrique in front after the Ducks pulled Miller.
The Devils twice rallied from two-goal deficits, tying the score at 3-all on a wrist shot by Bratt at 5:49 of the third period. The rookie’s 10th goal came just seconds after he finished serving the Devils’ first penalty of the game.
Trailing 3-1 late in the second period, Wood scored on a shot from the right circle that Miller seemed to miss.
Henrique had given Anaheim a 3-1 lead 11:21 into the period with a spectacular goal just seconds after a Ducks penalty ended. He took a pass from Josh Manson, skated into center ice and then flipped the puck over Vatanen into the Devils’ zone. He beat the defenseman to the puck and then beat Schneider with a slick backhander into the top of the net.