2024-03-15 02:34:00
DALLAS, Tex. – For a moment or two, Jake Allen must have wondered if his debut in the colors of the New Jersey Devils was not going to turn into a nightmare.
Fourteen seconds had passed when the veteran goalie, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on March 8, faltered for the first time.
Then, the Dallas Stars thwarted him once once more, on their third shot of the game.
Except that Allen didn’t let this pitiful start to the game become the story of his evening, as he stopped the next 35 pucks aimed his way, in a 6-2 victory for the Devils.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper was finally ready to defend the New Jersey cage, six days following his acquisition from CH in return for a third-round pick. Allen was faced with administrative problems relating to his work permit in the United States.
After he gave in to Wyatt Johnston and Craig Smith, Allen received a valuable helping hand from the Devils offense early in the second period.
Dawson Mercer, Timo Meier and Tomas Nosek all scored once morest Jake Oettinger in the first six minutes of the middle period to turn things around and give the visitors a 5-2 lead.
The rest of the match was up to Allen, who will likely share the net with Kaapo Kahkonen in the final weeks of the schedule.
Erik Haula, Chris Tierney and Alexander Holtz scored the other goals for New Jersey, which chased Jake Oettinger out of his net following the fourth goal. Scott Wedgewood gave up twice in relief.
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