TORONTO (AP) — Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists, Jake Allen made 42 saves and the New Jersey Devils beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Tuesday night.
“Our goalie played phenomenal in the first,” New Jersey interim coach Travis Green said. “The speed and the skill of their team … took us a little while to catch up.”
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New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Pontus Holmberg (29) collide during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) and New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes (86) compete for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) scores on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) collide during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) and New Jersey Devils left wing Erik Haula (56) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Maple Leafs built a 25-10 advantage in shots on goal in the first period, but trailed 2-1. Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe was not happy as the Devils capitalized on the Leafs' errors.
“Instead of having a strong (second) period and building on it and continuing to do the things that we had done well, I thought we just overdid it,” Keefe said. “Really immature all the way through our game.
“It was immature from our most experienced players and our leaders, and then our players who are immature — our inexperienced guys — made lots of mistakes.”
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Pontus Holmberg (29) collide during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Jack Hughes scored twice, including into the empty net, and Timo Meier added a goal and an assist for the Devils, who have won four of their last five games. Luke Hughes and Max Willman also scored for New Jersey. Jesper Bratt added three assists and Curtis Lazar had two.
Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 59th goal. William Nylander and Tyler Bertuzzi also scored and Joseph Woll had 19 saves for Toronto. T.J. Brodie had two assists.
“I don’t think that’s stuff you want to see in your game at this point in the year,” Matthews said of his group’s sloppy showing. “We’ve got to make sure we’re dialed in for a full 60 minutes.”
The Maple Leafs are third in the Atlantic Division with the postseason less than a month away. New Jersey entered Tuesday's game five points out of the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card berth.
“It is rattling,” Nylander said. “We’re capable of a lot better.”
Toronto was missing injured forward Mitch Marner (high ankle sprain) and goaltender Ilya Samsonov (undisclosed), along with defensemen Morgan Rielly (upper-body injury) and Joel Edmundson (undisclosed).
The Maple Leafs scored with their first shot on target in the second when Nylander capitalized off the rush at 3:14. The goal gave him consecutive 40-goal seasons.
Matthews scored his 59th on a break at 4:51, but the Devils tied it 46 seconds later when Meier scored his 24th.
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) and New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes (86) compete for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Willman picked up just his second goal of the season, pouncing on a loose puck with Woll down at 13:05 for a 4-3 lead through two periods.
Jack Hughes got loose on a breakaway and beat Woll for his 25th with 3:13 left in regulation. He then scored into an empty net to seal the win.
The Maple Leafs opened the scoring 64 seconds into the first when Bertuzzi beat Allen with a move to the forehand for his 16th.
The Devils got that one back at 4:25 when Luke Hughes fired a shot that sailed past Woll’s glove for the rookie defenseman’s ninth.
UP NEXT
Devils: At Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
Maple Leafs: Host Washington Capitals on Thursday.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) scores on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) collide during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) and New Jersey Devils left wing Erik Haula (56) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts rolled over, face down, and grabbed his helmet.
The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback's head was spiked into the turf by Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu in the second quarter and bounced off the ground. Hurts was evaluated for a concussion — “I guess I beat the protocol,” he quipped — and stayed in the game.
Hurts ran for the go-ahead score, Saquon Barkley rushed for 146 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the Eagles stretched their lead in the NFC East with a 26-18 win Thursday night over Jayden Daniels and the Commanders.
“Really,” coach Nick Sirianni said, “what we talked about at halftime was this was going to be a grimy, gritty game.”
After three quarters of uninspired offense by the Eagles, Barkley and Hurts led them to 20 points in the fourth.
The Eagles (8-2) won their sixth straight since their bye. Fans cheered when Hurts ran out of the tunnel for the second half, and he finished with 221 yards passing.
“When you see grass coming out of his helmet, yeah man, he got rocked a few times,” offensive lineman Lane Johnson said. “I thought he did a good job coming in the second half, and really putting it behind him.”
After the game, Hurts laughed when he failed to recall details of a specific play.
“I don't know what you're talking about. Probably not the right thing to say right now,” he said.
The Eagles' defense pitched in with a decisive stop.
With the Eagles leading 12-10 in the fourth quarter, Washington was in range for a go-ahead field goal and coach Dan Quinn elected to go for it on fourth down. Daniels scrambled and was stopped for no gain, and less than three minutes later, Barkley scored on a 23-yard run.
“I trust my teammates. I trust the unit,” Daniels said of the fourth-down gamble. "I always trust the coaches. I never question them.”
Jake Elliott made the extra point to give the Eagles a two-score lead after missing his previous try — along with two of his four field goal attempts.
Daniels, who finished 22 of 32 for 191 yards and a late touchdown pass, was intercepted by safety Reed Blankenship on Washington's next play. A dozen seconds later, Barkley finished off the Commanders (7-4) with a 39-yard touchdown run.
With 1,137 rushing yards through 10 games, Barkley moved ahead of Baltimore's Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. Both veteran running backs were signed as free agents in the offseason.
“You can’t be great without the greatness of others,” Sirianni said. “Saquon was great tonight but the offensive line was really good.”
Washington entered with a chance to take over first place in the division but left with its second straight loss.
Elliott, who missed field goals of 44 and 51 yards, was wide left on the extra point after Hurts' 1-yard tush-push touchdown in the fourth quarter. He made field goals of 21 and 31 yards.
Elliott holds the franchise record with seven field goals of 50 yards or more in a season but has missed all four attempts from 50-plus in 2024.
The matchup was hyped as the biggest game in this NFC East rivalry in nearly 30 years, but the first 30 minutes had all the excitement of a preseason game.
Hurts had an ineffective first half. He underthrew receivers — notably a pair of times to DeVonta Smith — and hung his head when a pass attempt with no nearby open receiver sailed out of bounds.
Washington's Brian Robinson Jr. ripped off an 18-yard run to the 1-yard line and punched in a touchdown on the next play for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Zane Gonzalez kicked a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter for a 10-3 lead.
But Gonzalez, promoted off the practice squad with Austin Seibert dealing with a hip injury, didn't get another opportunity late in the fourth. The Commanders were stopped on second- and third-and-1, and Daniels, the No. 2 overall draft pick, was stuffed on Philadelphia’s 26.
The Eagles took over and Hurts instantly connected with Dallas Goedert for a 31-yard gain. Goedert fumbled but the ball was scooped up by fellow tight end Grant Calcaterra.
Barkley scored three plays later.
Zach Ertz, who played for the Eagles from 2013-21, had a touchdown catch in the final minute and then got both feet down in the back of the end zone for a 2-point conversion that got the Commanders within eight. Washington tried an onside kick but Philadelphia recovered.
“We’ll get there,” Quinn said. “But over the last two weeks, we weren’t able to demonstrate that and express that to the fullest level.”
Eagles DT Milton Williams suffered a foot injury.
The Commanders play four of their next five games at home, starting Nov. 24 against Dallas.
The Eagles play another night game on Nov. 24 at the Los Angeles Rams.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels shake hands following an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 26-18. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and linebacker Zack Baun (53) head off the field following an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 26-18. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith Jr. (3) during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra (81) celebrates a 1-yard touchdown by teammate Jalen Hurts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is congratulated by teammate Dallas Goedert (88) after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs as Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (94) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) scores during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
