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Jonas Siegenthaler’s first career playoff goal is a game-winner: ‘He gave us a heck of a game tonight’

By Katie Adler

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April 24, 2023 11:45 pm

The New Jersey Devils got some unexpected help on the scoreboard in Game Four, Monday night.

Former Capital Jonas Siegenthaler tallied his first career playoff goal in the third period, scoring the game-winner for New Jersey.

After picking up a cross-ice pass from Devils captain Nico Hischier, Siegenthaler fired the puck over the stick of Vincent Trocheck and towards the crease. It ricocheted off the goal post with a ping before sneaking behind Igor Shesterkin and into the net.

The tally came midway through the third to break a 1-1 tie.

Postgame, Siegenthaler deflected praise for the goal, emphasizing the role of Hischier’s pass in giving him the space to score.

“As a team, we knew we had to move up and join the rush,” he said. “I saw that little hole, just tried to jump in there and Nico made the incredible play to me. I was not alone in front of the net, but almost. Just tried to shoot it low glove and it went in.”

Siegenthaler factored in both of the Devils’ goals before Ondrej Palat sealed it with an empty netter with 26 seconds remaining. The Swiss rearguard also earned a primary assist when he (accidentally) set up Jack Hughes for a breakaway tally.

“I tried to flick it over the Rangers player and luckily it was there,” Siegenthaler said. “I was just trying to get it out of [the defensive zone]. I saw a lot of blue jerseys there so I tried to go over all of them and Jack was there.”

“Good for him,” Hughes added. “We love that. That’s playoffs, everyone’s going to need to chip in. Seagull, I think he got one and one. That’s a huge game out of him. Just driving us.”

Before Monday, Siegenthaler had scored only seven goals in his entire NHL career. Over half of those came this season, where he scored four times in 80 games. This one may just be the most important of his career.

It had been a rough start to the series for Siegenthaler, who was a healthy scratch in Game Two. He’s since bounced back in a big way, earning the First Star of the Game Monday night. His impact in Game Four went beyond the two points: he was by far the Devils’ best player as determined by the GameScore statistic.

“Obviously, it wasn’t fun, the second game,” Siegenthaler said. “I learned from it. I went over my first game. Clearly I had to be more physical, harder. That’s what I’m trying to do out there. Be as physical, be skating, and just be hard to play against. You gotta take it shift-by-shift, but if you do over 60 minutes, most of the time you’ll be sucessful.”

Devils head coach Lindy Ruff praised the young defenseman’s response to the scratch, highlighting what he saw different from before. “His whole game, getting up with the play, his physicality down low, a lot more assertive,” Ruff said. “He gave us a heck of a game tonight on both sides of the puck.”

After the Devils dropped the first two games of the round at home, they have now won a pair of games at Madison Square Garden to tie the series 2-2. They’ll fight to gain the series lead on Game Five on Thursday.

Screenshot: New Jersey Devils/NHL.com

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