Connor Hellebuyck made a winning start to his New Jersey Devils career on Tuesday night, stopping 16 of 17 shots to help his new side secure a comprehensive 5-1 victory against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center.
The star goaltender made his first competitive appearance in nearly six months, having last featured in an NHL fixture back in April. His inclusion in the starting lineup came just days after a high-profile trade brought him to the franchise from the Winnipeg Jets.
Hellebuyck stood in his crease during the pre-game ceremonies and admitted to feeling a sense of relief as his protracted offseason saga finally concluded. The experienced netminder quickly settled into the rhythm of the game behind a disciplined defensive unit.
New Jersey captain Nico Hischier led the offensive charge with two goals, setting the tone for a dominant team performance. The victory extended the Devils' winning run to four matches while halting a five-game winning streak for the hosts.
Hischier opened the scoring less than three minutes into the opening period, capitalising on early pressure. The goal survived a Dallas challenge for goaltender interference against Timo Meier, leaving the home side trailing early.
The New Jersey skipper doubled his tally just 38 seconds into the second period, extending the advantage to 2-0. It marked Hischier's team-leading seventh goal of the campaign and his second multi-goal performance of the season so far.
Jesper Boqvist added a third goal for the visitors midway through the middle frame, leaving the Stars facing a significant deficit. The visiting onslaught continued to probe a Dallas defence that entered the match boasting the league's lowest goals-against average.
Dallas finally broke through when Justin Hryckowian deflected a shot past Hellebuyck at the 16:08 mark of the second period. However, any hopes of a home comeback were quickly extinguished by the visitors.
Luke Hughes restored New Jersey's three-goal cushion just 28 seconds after Hryckowian's strike, scoring off an assist to deflate the hosts. His brother, Jack Hughes, also found the back of the net during the contest to compound the misery for Dallas.
Speaking after the final horn, Hellebuyck expressed satisfaction with how his new teammates shielded him throughout the encounter. He noted that the low volume of scoring chances allowed him to ease back into game action smoothly.
It was a lot of fun, Hellebuyck told reporters after the victory, praising the skaters in front of him for executing a structured game plan. He acknowledged that some rust remained but felt the overall team effort created an ideal environment for his debut.
The trade concluded an eventful period for the veteran netminder, who had requested a move away from Winnipeg during the offseason. His absence from training camp resulted in a club suspension before the blockbuster deal landed him in New Jersey.
For the Stars, Casey DeSmith made 22 saves in his third start of the season after previously conceding just two goals in each of his earlier outings. The five goals conceded represented a season high against a defensive unit that previously led the NHL.
The home side also suffered a physical blow during the third period when defenseman Kyle Capobianco exited the ice with an apparent leg injury and failed to return. Dallas will look to regroup when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Devils faced a rapid turnaround as they travelled to face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night in the second leg of their road trip. New Jersey will look to maintain their newly found momentum as the early-season schedule intensifies.
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