NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Nico Hischier scored his second goal 12:15 into overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday at Prudential Center. Hischier finished with two goals and an assist. Connor Brown and Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils, who led 2-0 after the first period. The Senators stormed back with three second-period goals from Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto and Fabian Zetterlund to take a 3-2 lead. Mercer tied it late in the third period to force overtime. Nicolas Daws made 27 saves for New Jersey, which improved to 42-39. Ottawa, now 43-38, saw its three-game win streak snapped.

NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Nico Hischier scored his second goal of the game 12 minutes and 15 seconds into overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night at Prudential Center. Hischier’s backhander, assisted by Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, capped a back-and-forth contest that saw the Devils squander a two-goal lead before rallying late to force the extra session. The Swiss center finished with two goals and an assist, driving the Devils’ offense as they improved their season record to 42 wins and 39 losses across all competitions. The Devils seized control early, striking twice in the opening period. Connor Brown opened the scoring at 14:51 of the first, converting a feed from Hughes. Just over five minutes later, Hischier netted his first, finishing a sequence with Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier to give New Jersey a 2-0 advantage after 20 minutes. Ottawa, which entered the game with a record of 43 wins and 38 losses, roared back with a dominant second period, scoring three unanswered goals to take the lead. Michael Amadio started the rally at 14:42 of the middle frame, deflecting a point shot from Artem Zub past Devils goaltender Nico Daws. Shane Pinto tied the game on a power-play blast at 20:25, assisted by Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson. The Senators completed the surge less than eight minutes later when Fabian Zetterlund stole a puck and beat Daws on an unassisted breakaway, sending Ottawa to the second intermission with a 3-2 lead. The Senators carried that one-goal edge deep into the third period, but the Devils found an equalizer with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. Mercer, stationed in front of the net, tucked a backhand past Ottawa goalie James Reimer, with Hischier earning the primary assist to knot the score at 3-3 and ultimately force overtime. In the extra period, Hischier delivered the decisive blow, collecting a loose puck and beating Reimer for the game-winner, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Daws earned the win in net for New Jersey, stopping 27 of the 30 shots he faced. Reimer took the loss for Ottawa, making several key saves among his total but ultimately allowing four goals on the night. The game featured a combined seven penalties, with New Jersey’s Lenni Hameenaho taking a double-minor for high-sticking in the first period and a hooking call in the second. Ottawa’s Jordan Spence, Nick Cousins, Nikolas Matinpalo and Drake Batherson were also penalized, while New Jersey’s Jack Hughes was called for interference in the third. The result snapped Ottawa’s four-game winning streak, which included a 3-0 shutout of the New York Islanders on Saturday. New Jersey, meanwhile, built on a 5-3 road win in Detroit from the previous night. The Devils avenged a 4-1 loss to the Senators in Ottawa back on Jan. 31. The game’s final score of 7 total goals landed under the pregame over/under line of 6.5. The outcome also defied some pregame projections, as Ottawa had been installed as a slight favorite with a -1.5 spread and was given a 56.4 percent probability to win by National Statistical’s ELO system, though the same service’s game simulator had projected a 4-3 Devils victory. New Jersey looks to continue its momentum on the road against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Ottawa returns home to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Hot Senators, Devils Clash in Newark with Playoff Implications NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Two teams fighting to solidify their playoff positioning will meet Sunday when the Ottawa Senators visit the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. The Senators (43-37-0) enter on a surge, having won five of their last six games, including a 3-0 road victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday. Ottawa’s success is anchored by goaltender Linus Ullmark, who has been stellar. He is 6-1-0 in his last seven starts, posting a .947 save percentage over that span and coming off a 23-save shutout. New Jersey (41-39-0) is also coming off a win, defeating Detroit 5-3 on Saturday. The Devils’ offense is powered by winger Jesper Bratt, who had two goals and an assist in that victory. Bratt has recorded 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in his last 10 contests. The season series is split, with each team winning on home ice. Ottawa claimed the most recent meeting 4-1 on Jan. 31, while New Jersey won 4-3 in Ottawa on Dec. 9. Both clubs are in a tight cluster of Eastern Conference teams vying for the final wild-card spots, making this a critical two-point matchup. The Senators have found consistency, going 7-3-0 in their last 10. The Devils have been more volatile at 5-4-1 in that stretch but possess high-end scoring talent. Statistical projections offer a split verdict. National Statistical’s game simulator predicts a 4-3 Devils victory, while its ELO rating system gives Ottawa a 56.4% probability to win. For Ottawa, secondary scoring emerged Saturday with Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio each notching a goal and an assist. New Jersey’s top line of Bratt, Jack Hughes (goal, assist Saturday), and Nick Bjugstad will look to solve Ullmark. The Devils begin a two-game road trip in Boston on Tuesday. Ottawa hosts Toronto on Wednesday.