Paul Cotter Dazzles, Devils Undeserving, Fall Apart in Loss to Flames

NEWARK—Jake Allen saved the New Jersey Devils from embarrassment earlier in the week after falling apart in the third period to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jacob Markstrom could not replicate the heroics.

After being heavily out-shot and out-chanced on Monday in the final frame, the Devils ran out of gas again on Thursday against the Calgary Flames.

Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe hinted there could be lineup changes ahead of Thursday night due to some minor injuries. When warmups got underway, it was revealed Ondrej Palat and Curtis Lazar got the night off, opening the door for Daniel Sprong and Kurtis MacDermid to enter the lineup.

The Devils went to an early penalty kill after Timo Meier caught Joel Hanley with a big check along the boards in the neutral zone. Meier was assessed a minor for boarding. Yet, the Devils’ PK was able to kill off the Meier infraction. As soon as Meier exited the box, he drew a slashing penalty on Joel Farabee who was trying to egg the Devils forward in on defense of his teammate.

Although the Devils were able to create two scoring chances on two shots during the man advantage, the game remained scoreless and returned to even strength.

After the Devils killed off a second penalty, this time to Tomas Tatar for interference, they moved the game into Calgary’s end of the ice with some consistent offensive pressure.

Nico Hischier broke the ice, striking first to give the Devils a 1-0 lead on a wrap around shot that snuck under Dustin Wolf’s pads.

Hischier’s goal is his team-leading 29th, and he’s one goal shy of his second 30-goal campaign with 12 games remaining on the schedule.

The Devils opened the second period by hemming the Flames in their own zone. The newly formed Erik Haula, Cody Glass, and Daniel Sprong line continued to put on a good show, and helped the Devils double their lead.

Sprong drove the net with the puck that became loose in the slot and Glass disrupting the Flames’ defense. Brian Dumoulin retrieved the rubber and passed it to Haula just above the dots, who scored on Wolf to give the Devils a 2-0 lead.

Brett Pesce was later assessed a minor penalty for delay of game, and the Flames made New Jersey pay. Matt Coronato banked in a loose puck in Jacob Markstrom’s crease on the Flames’ man advantage, cutting the Devils’ lead in half by making it a 2-1 game.

However, with under 30 seconds remaining in the middle frame, Paul Cotter made a strong play to regain the Devils’ two-goal lead. The 25-year-old drove Wolf’s crease, making an incredible backhand-forehand play, and scored to put the Devils up by two goals again, 3-1.

You already know the goal's nice if Paul Cotter scored it 🤷‍♂️

📺: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/YhvKXJGqny

— NHL (@NHL) March 21, 2025

Much like the third period in their tilt with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, the Flames came out in the third desperate and pressured New Jersey.

Conor Zary scored just over six minutes into the third period to bring the Flames back within a goal. Jesper Bratt then took a tripping minor, sending the Flames to the power play with all the momentum.

They didn’t score, but Daniil Miromanov and Jonathan Huberdeau completed the three-goal comeback in the final frame, and stole two points from an undeserving Devils team Thursday night.

Nazem Kadri deposited an insurance marker into the empty-net with 12 seconds remaining in the third period, spelling a 5-3 Devils loss.

Markstrom made 23 saves on 27 shots.

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