The Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils delivered a rollercoaster of a hockey game on March 16, 2026, at Newark’s Prudential Center—a matchup brimming with playoff implications, personal milestones, and gut-wrenching drama right up to the final seconds of overtime. The Devils ultimately seized a 4-3 victory in front of an electric home crowd, thanks to Paul Cotter’s breakaway goal with just 6.2 seconds remaining in the extra frame. For the Bruins, the loss was another bitter chapter in a string of recent overtime setbacks, as they squandered a two-goal first-period lead and failed to capitalize on crucial power-play opportunities.
It all started so promisingly for Boston. The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening 14:29 of play, with star winger David Pastrnak opening the scoring just over four minutes in. Henri Jokiharju, fresh off seven straight healthy scratches, fired a shot from the right point that rebounded off Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom. The puck ricocheted into Pastrnak’s chest, and with Markstrom out of position, Pastrnak coolly deked and tucked home his 25th goal of the season. That tally marked the ninth time in his career that Pastrnak has reached the 25-goal plateau—a remarkable display of consistency for the Bruins’ offensive leader.
The Bruins’ second goal came after a neutral-zone turnover by the Devils. Charlie McAvoy, extending his point streak to seven games, zipped a pass to Viktor Arvidsson, who quickly fed Pavel Zacha. Zacha, facing his former team, buried his 20th goal of the campaign at 14:29, giving Boston a comfortable cushion. "We played such a good first period and the way we came out and played in the second, that to me was night and day," Bruins head coach Marco Sturm lamented to reporters after the game. "When you play like that, that’s what you get. All of a sudden you get in trouble."
But the second period was a different story—one that’s become all too familiar for Boston since the Olympic break. Just 32 seconds in, Jack Hughes, fresh off his gold medal-winning heroics for Team USA in Milan, stole the puck from Arvidsson and sent Connor Brown in alone. Brown snapped a shot over Joonas Korpisalo’s glove, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Hughes, who finished with three assists on the night, became the fastest player in Devils franchise history to reach 400 career points, notching 402 in his 414th regular-season game. "That’s exactly what we talked about in between periods and we did it right away," Sturm said, referencing the team’s emphasis on limiting turnovers. "Those are the frustrating moments. We have to handle it better, especially on the road."
The Devils tied things up at 8:08 of the second, capitalizing on another Boston miscue. McAvoy’s ill-advised pass at the blue line was picked off by Hughes, who orchestrated a swift 3-on-2 rush. Jesper Bratt finished the sequence with a one-timer that beat Korpisalo, who otherwise turned aside 30 of 34 shots in the contest. The Bruins, outshot 17-8 in the period, suddenly found themselves on their heels, forced to ice the puck multiple times and unable to regain their early rhythm.
Tempers flared midway through the first period, when Brenden Dillon and Mark Kastelic—both 6-foot-4 veterans—dropped the gloves in a spirited fight. After some initial wrestling, Kastelic landed a sharp left jab and followed up with a couple of rights before officials stepped in. Both players were assessed five-minute fighting majors, setting the tone for a penalty-filled affair. In total, the teams combined for ten penalties, including two fighting majors in the final 11 minutes of regulation.
The third period was a wild ride. Paul Cotter, who would later play the hero, notched his first goal of the evening at 2:50, taking a slick backhand feed from Max Tsyplakov and tucking the puck past Korpisalo to give New Jersey its first lead. But the Bruins answered quickly—just 1:42 later, Pastrnak put on a show. With Marat Khusnutdinov driving the middle, Pastrnak toe-dragged the puck into the slot and roofed a backhander over Markstrom, knotting the score at 3-3. "That’s unacceptable. We talked about it before the second period so that’s what hurts even more. We should be mature enough already to know it’s coming. We did regroup in the third but at this point in the season, we can’t let teams back in so easy," Pastrnak said postgame.
Both teams had their chances to win it in regulation, but special teams proved to be Boston’s Achilles’ heel yet again. The Bruins went 0-for-3 on the power play, including a 23-second 5-on-3 advantage in the third period that fizzled out. Since the Olympic break, Boston has scored just four times on 35 power-play opportunities—a glaring issue as the playoff race tightens. "Our power play let us down once again," Sturm conceded. The Devils, meanwhile, also failed to convert on their two man-advantages, but their even-strength play and opportunistic counterattacks made the difference.
As overtime ticked down, the tension was palpable. With 10 seconds left, McAvoy nearly won it for Boston, firing a shot that deflected off Markstrom and the post. The Devils immediately transitioned up ice. Dougie Hamilton corralled the rebound, sent it to Hughes, and Hughes found Cotter streaking up the middle. Cotter broke free and lifted the puck top shelf over Korpisalo for his first career overtime winner, sending the Prudential Center crowd into a frenzy. "It could have gone either way. But that second period really bothered me," Sturm reflected, still stinging from the missed opportunity.
For Jack Hughes, the night was another milestone in a season full of them. With three assists, he extended his post-Olympic run to 12 points in 10 games and solidified his status as one of the league’s elite playmakers. Jacob Markstrom, meanwhile, stopped 19 of 22 shots to earn his 20th win of the season for New Jersey, who improved to 6-2-0 in their last eight games, though they remain 11 points behind Boston for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
Boston’s loss drops them back to the second wild-card slot, just two points ahead of Columbus and four up on Ottawa, with 15 games left on the schedule. The Bruins have alternated wins and losses since the Olympic break and have yet to string together consecutive victories—a troubling trend for a team with postseason ambitions. They’ll need to regroup quickly, as they wrap up their three-game road swing with a critical tilt against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. The Devils, meanwhile, finish a seven-game homestand and will embark on a challenging five-game road trip, starting with the New York Rangers on Wednesday.
As the regular season hurtles toward its conclusion, both clubs know there’s little margin for error. For the Bruins, fixing their power play and learning to protect leads on the road could make all the difference. For the Devils, the continued emergence of Hughes and Cotter, combined with Markstrom’s steady presence in goal, offers hope for a strong finish—even if the playoff math remains daunting. One thing’s for sure: if Monday’s thriller was any indication, neither team plans to go quietly.