hockeystats.io

New Jersey DevilsNJD 4–2 Final Nashville PredatorsNSH

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Final 1st2nd3rd T SOG
New Jersey DevilsNJD 112 4 30
Nashville PredatorsNSH 020 2 17
Playoff odds, % Change
NSH -8.3
NJD +0.5
LAK +1.9
WPG +1.6
STL +1.0
SEA +0.8
EDM +0.8
SJS +0.8
VGK +0.8
UTA +0.6

How the result moved each team's playoff odds, calculated Mar 26, 2026 7:19 PM EDT.

Highlights

Scoring

1st Period
18:02 NJD Jesper Bratt (19) Jack Hughes (38), Jonas Siegenthaler (10) · tip-in xG 0.17 1–0 ▶
2nd Period
9:13 NJD Nico Hischier (25) Jesper Bratt (40), Simon Nemec (15) · deflected xG 0.11 2–0 ▶
11:09 NSH Reid Schaefer (6) Fedor Svechkov (12), Nicolas Hague (12) · wrist xG 0.18 2–1 ▶
13:00 NSH Steven Stamkos (36) Luke Evangelista (40) · backhand xG 0.15 2–2 ▶
3rd Period
14:07 NJD Nico Hischier (26)PP Jack Hughes (39), Jesper Bratt (41) · deflected xG 0.11 3–2 ▶
19:27 NJD Timo Meier (21)EN Connor Brown (22), Jonas Siegenthaler (11) · wrist xG 0.93 4–2 ▶

Score away–home after each goal; season totals in parentheses.

Shot quality

Expected goals (xG) rate every unblocked shot by how often shots like it go in, from where it was taken, the shot type, the strength and what happened just before it. How it works

NJD 60%Deserve to win40% NSH
NJDNSH
4.14Expected goals2.29
4Goals (no shootout)2
1.90Expected goals, 5 on 51.78
58Shot attempts49
44Unblocked attempts30
30Shots on goal17

Game notes

What stood out as the game went on, from the play-by-play and the shifts. Time on the bench is counted in 5-on-5 play outside the penalty box; the note says the player sat, not why. Goals saved are against the shots' expected goals (xG).

2nd Period
5:30 NJD Deserve to win Deserve to win · NJD takes the lead, 66–34%
NSH had led since 11:56 of the 1st, by as much as 61%
5:40 NJD xG swing xG swing · Out-chanced NSH 1.21–0.17
In xG over 10 minutes, 15:40 of the 1st to 5:40 of the 2nd; goals 1–0

Shot map

NJD shoots ←Bigger circle: higher xG; filled: goal→ NSH shoots
Lenni Hameenaho: wrap-around, 4 ft, xG 0.06 (P1 1:18) Luke Hughes: wrist, 37 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 1:22) Luke Hughes: wrist, 70 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 1:41) Erik Haula: wrist, 67 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 3:07) Ryan Ufko: wrist, 59 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 3:13) Filip Forsberg: snap, 30 ft, xG 0.04 (P1 3:20) Timo Meier: wrist, 60 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 4:35) Luke Evangelista: wrist, 68 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 4:47) Steven Stamkos: tip-in, 7 ft, xG 0.09 (P1 4:52) Roman Josi: slap, 49 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 7:08) Erik Haula: wrist, 54 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 8:14) Lenni Hameenaho: wrist, 45 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 9:14) Jonas Siegenthaler: wrist, 44 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 9:30) Dougie Hamilton: wrist, 34 ft, xG 0.07 (P1 9:35) Filip Forsberg: wrist, 10 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 11:54) Tyson Jost: wrist, 13 ft, xG 0.17 (P1 11:56) Jack Hughes: slap, 32 ft, xG 0.08 (P1 14:56) Jack Hughes: wrist, 16 ft, xG 0.05 (P1 15:16) Tyson Jost: tip-in, 27 ft, xG 0.05 (P1 15:40) Adam Wilsby: wrist, 56 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 18:28) Steven Stamkos: wrap-around, 4 ft, xG 0.04 (P1 19:49) Jonas Siegenthaler: snap, 17 ft, xG 0.22 (P2 0:26) Dougie Hamilton: wrist, 65 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 0:55) Luke Evangelista: wrist, 22 ft, xG 0.12 (P2 1:45) Evgenii Dadonov: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 2:14) Jack Hughes: backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.14 (P2 3:47) Jack Hughes: snap, 6 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 3:48) Timo Meier: tip-in, 5 ft, xG 0.23 (P2 5:30) Dawson Mercer: wrist, 3 ft, xG 0.28 (P2 5:31) Nick Perbix: slap, 37 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 8:02) Filip Forsberg: wrist, 14 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 8:57) Lenni Hameenaho: wrist, 20 ft, xG 0.14 (P2 10:13) Luke Hughes: slap, 48 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 11:56) Erik Haula: wrist, 19 ft, xG 0.15 (P2 12:20) Steven Stamkos: slap, 47 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 12:46) Maxim Tsyplakov: wrist, 95 ft, xG 0.00 (P2 14:21) Timo Meier: wrist, 39 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 14:26) Jack Hughes: wrist, 30 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 15:53) Nicolas Hague: slap, 36 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 17:50) Timo Meier: snap, 43 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 19:04) Dawson Mercer: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.10 (P3 0:17) Cody Glass: backhand, 20 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 0:54) Simon Nemec: wrist, 125 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 2:25) Steven Stamkos: wrist, 28 ft, xG 0.05 (P3 4:08) Nico Hischier: wrist, 30 ft, xG 0.10 (P3 4:16) Ryan O'Reilly: tip-in, 19 ft, xG 0.09 (P3 4:46) Brady Skjei: slap, 62 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 5:40) Luke Hughes: wrist, 46 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 5:52) Timo Meier: wrap-around, 5 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 6:01) Steven Stamkos: wrist, 9 ft, xG 0.20 (P3 8:51) Jack Hughes: wrist, 13 ft, xG 0.09 (P3 9:08) Maxim Tsyplakov: backhand, 80 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 9:33) Maxim Tsyplakov: wrist, 39 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 9:39) Dougie Hamilton: slap, 68 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 10:06) Jesper Bratt: tip-in, 12 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 11:31) Roman Josi: slap, 174 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 12:29) Jack Hughes: wrist, 10 ft, xG 0.09 (P3 13:52) Jonathan Marchessault: wrist, 26 ft, xG 0.08 (P3 14:41) Nico Hischier: wrist, 40 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 14:48) Dawson Mercer: backhand, 11 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 15:23) Jack Hughes: slap, 61 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 16:02) Jack Hughes: slap, 35 ft, xG 0.09 (P3 16:10) Nick Perbix: wrist, 24 ft, xG 0.10 (P3 16:42) Ryan O'Reilly: snap, 13 ft, xG 0.16 (P3 17:51) Jesper Bratt: wrist, 107 ft, xG 0.39 (P3 18:05) Matthew Wood: wrist, 31 ft, xG 0.09 (P3 18:15) Steven Stamkos: tip-in, 7 ft, xG 0.10 (P3 19:04) Nick Bjugstad: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 19:42) Jesper Bratt: GOAL, tip-in, 5 ft, xG 0.17 (P1 18:02) Nico Hischier: GOAL, deflected, 6 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 9:13) Reid Schaefer: GOAL, wrist, 22 ft, xG 0.18 (P2 11:09) Steven Stamkos: GOAL, backhand, 9 ft, xG 0.15 (P2 13:00) Nico Hischier: GOAL, deflected, 11 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 14:07) Timo Meier: GOAL, wrist, 4 ft, xG 0.93 (P3 19:27)
About these numbers

xG comes from hockeystats.io's own model, a gradient-boosted tree model trained on every unblocked shot from the 2021-22 to 2025-26 regular seasons using the NHL's public play-by-play. Each shot's value is the share of similar shots that became goals. A team's xG is the sum over its shots; "deserve to win" asks how often the team would outscore its opponent if every shot went in at exactly that rate. Blocked shots count as attempts but have no xG (the NHL records where they were blocked, not where they were taken), so the map leaves them out.

Box score

New Jersey Devils

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
86 Jack Hughes 022 +1 90.64 0023:08
16 Connor Brown 011 +1 00.00 0020:36
63 Jesper Bratt 123 +1 30.67 0218:41
28 Timo Meier 101 +1 71.22 3218:39
13 Nico Hischier 202 +2 40.34 0118:06
91 Dawson Mercer 000 0 40.49 0016:01
12 Cody Glass 000 -1 10.02 0113:25
29 Lenni Hameenaho 000 -1 50.20 1012:34
33 Evgenii Dadonov 000 0 10.11 0012:06
72 Maxim Tsyplakov 000 0 30.02 3109:28
72 Nick Bjugstad 000 -1 10.03 4009:24
47 Paul Cotter 000 0 00.00 0008:36
Defense
7 Dougie Hamilton 000 +1 60.09 1222:38
43 Luke Hughes 000 +1 70.08 0120:21
71 Jonas Siegenthaler 022 +1 20.23 1320:03
5 Brenden Dillon 000 -1 00.00 5219:31
8 Johnathan Kovacevic 000 0 20.00 2017:25
71 Simon Nemec 011 0 30.00 1217:18
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Jacob Markstrom 17215 .882 2.29 +0.29

Nashville Predators

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
90 Ryan O'Reilly 000 -1 20.25 0120:39
9 Filip Forsberg 000 -1 50.20 1120:21
91 Steven Stamkos 101 -1 100.64 0018:11
81 Jonathan Marchessault 000 -1 10.08 0017:45
56 Erik Haula 000 -1 50.16 0117:03
77 Luke Evangelista 011 -1 20.13 0115:44
17 Tyson Jost 000 -1 40.22 0114:36
68 Zachary L'Heureux 000 -1 00.00 6114:08
71 Matthew Wood 000 0 20.09 0113:40
9 Fedor Svechkov 011 +1 10.00 0110:44
49 Reid Schaefer 101 +1 20.18 1009:12
89 Ozzy Wiesblatt 000 +1 10.00 1008:20
Defense
59 Roman Josi 000 -1 40.03 0325:46
76 Brady Skjei 000 0 10.02 1121:48
41 Nicolas Hague 011 +1 40.06 2121:35
48 Nick Perbix 000 -1 20.19 1018:40
2 Adam Wilsby 000 +1 20.01 0016:08
12 Ryan Ufko 000 -1 10.01 0013:01
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Justus Annunen 29326 .897 2.82 -0.18

Skaters by time on ice. Goalie lines count shots with the goalie in net, from the NHL play-by-play.

Player ratings

What each player added to the result, in goals, from most to least. Hover a number for what it's made of.

New Jersey Devils

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
63 Jesper Bratt L +2.42 +2.00 +0.43 -0.05 0.00 0.00 +0.04 — 18:41
13 Nico Hischier C +2.18 +1.50 +0.22 +0.34 0.00 +0.09 +0.03 — 18:06
86 Jack Hughes C +2.08 +1.40 +0.42 +0.12 +0.15 +0.02 -0.02 — 23:08
28 Timo Meier R +1.99 +0.75 +0.79 +0.37 0.00 0.00 +0.08 — 18:39
71 Jonas Siegenthaler D +1.96 +1.10 +0.15 +0.73 -0.15 0.00 +0.13 — 20:03
7 Dougie Hamilton D +0.75 0.00 +0.06 +0.61 0.00 0.00 +0.08 — 22:38
91 Dawson Mercer C +0.73 0.00 +0.32 +0.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 16:01
17 Simon Nemec D +0.48 +0.55 0.00 -0.17 0.00 0.00 +0.10 — 17:18
43 Luke Hughes D +0.36 0.00 +0.05 +0.24 0.00 0.00 +0.07 — 20:21
16 Connor Brown R +0.33 +0.70 0.00 -0.35 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 20:36
33 Evgenii Dadonov L +0.33 0.00 +0.07 +0.11 +0.15 0.00 0.00 — 12:06
25 Jacob Markstrom G +0.29 0.00 — — 0.00 — — +0.29 60:00
47 Paul Cotter L +0.13 0.00 0.00 +0.14 0.00 +0.01 -0.02 — 8:36
29 Lenni Hameenaho R +0.07 0.00 +0.13 -0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 12:34
42 Maxim Tsyplakov R +0.01 0.00 +0.01 -0.06 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 9:28
12 Cody Glass C -0.08 0.00 +0.01 -0.15 0.00 +0.01 +0.05 — 13:25
8 Johnathan Kovacevic D -0.30 0.00 0.00 -0.32 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 17:25
72 Nick Bjugstad C -0.40 0.00 +0.02 -0.41 0.00 +0.01 -0.02 — 9:24
5 Brenden Dillon D -0.75 0.00 0.00 -0.85 0.00 0.00 +0.10 — 19:31

Nashville Predators

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
91 Steven Stamkos C +1.32 +0.75 +0.42 +0.15 0.00 +0.01 0.00 — 18:11
49 Reid Schaefer L +1.11 +0.75 +0.12 +0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 9:12
77 Luke Evangelista R +0.91 +0.70 +0.09 +0.08 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 15:44
41 Nicolas Hague D +0.58 +0.55 +0.04 -0.05 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 21:35
59 Roman Josi D +0.46 0.00 +0.02 +0.31 0.00 0.00 +0.13 — 25:46
40 Fedor Svechkov C +0.43 +0.70 0.00 -0.12 -0.15 -0.03 +0.03 — 10:44
83 Adam Wilsby D +0.30 0.00 0.00 +0.32 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 16:08
17 Tyson Jost C +0.28 0.00 +0.14 -0.07 +0.15 0.00 +0.05 — 14:36
89 Ozzy Wiesblatt C +0.24 0.00 0.00 +0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 8:20
76 Brady Skjei D +0.18 0.00 +0.01 +0.11 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 21:48
90 Ryan O'Reilly C +0.16 0.00 +0.17 -0.06 0.00 +0.01 +0.05 — 20:39
71 Matthew Wood R +0.13 0.00 +0.06 +0.25 -0.15 -0.06 +0.03 — 13:40
9 Filip Forsberg L +0.09 0.00 +0.13 -0.07 0.00 0.00 +0.03 — 20:21
56 Erik Haula L -0.14 0.00 +0.10 -0.20 0.00 -0.08 +0.03 — 17:03
29 Justus Annunen G -0.18 0.00 — — 0.00 — — -0.18 58:18
85 Ryan Ufko D -0.26 0.00 +0.01 -0.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 13:01
81 Jonathan Marchessault R -0.26 0.00 +0.05 -0.30 0.00 +0.01 -0.02 — 17:45
68 Zachary L'Heureux L -0.51 0.00 0.00 -0.54 0.00 0.00 +0.03 — 14:08
48 Nick Perbix D -0.60 0.00 +0.12 -0.68 0.00 0.00 -0.04 — 18:40

An expected-goals take on Dom Luszczyszyn's Game Score: goals and assists, the quality of a player's own shots, shot quality for and against while they were on the ice at 5v5, penalties, faceoffs and puck plays, all in goals; goalies by goals saved above expected. From the NHL play-by-play and shift charts.