Jack Hughes delivered his fourth career hat trick Saturday night at Prudential Center, powering the New Jersey Devils to a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on March 7, 2026, in Newark, N.J. Hughes added an assist for four total points. New Jersey converted three power-play opportunities and pulled away with a dominant third period.
Hughes Builds on a Strong 2025-26 Campaign
Jack Hughes has now posted two hat tricks during the 2025-26 NHL regular season. That frequency places him among the most dangerous offensive centers in the Eastern Conference. His ability to score at even strength and on the man advantage makes him difficult to neutralize across a full 60 minutes.
The numbers reveal just how consistent Hughes has been this season. His points-per-game rate has climbed in each of the past three campaigns. He was selected first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, and his 2025-26 production suggests he is near the apex of his offensive output. Skating speed, zone-entry aggression, and a quick shot release all rank with the league’s elite pivots.
Hughes scored the go-ahead goal with 4:08 left in the second period. The shot cut through traffic and gave New Jersey a 3-2 advantage. The Rangers answered 61 seconds later when Chris Cuylle deflected a Braden Schneider point shot to pull even at 3-3. New Jersey then seized control in the third and did not relinquish it.
For context on the rivalry: the Devils and Rangers have met at least four times per season under the Metropolitan Division schedule in recent years. Each contest carries direct playoff-point implications. Saturday’s six-goal output by New Jersey represented their largest scoring margin in this head-to-head matchup during the 2025-26 slate.
Hughes finished with three goals and one assist for four points in the 6-3 result. One goal arrived on the power play. One broke a 2-2 deadlock at even strength. The third was a breakaway finish with 3:04 remaining in the third period that sealed the scoring.
The breakaway was textbook Hughes. He used his acceleration through the neutral zone, made a clean entry past the defensive pair, and finished with composure. Film from that sequence shows him reading the gap between the retreating defenseman and the goaltender before committing to his move. Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe has leaned on Hughes to set the tone on the power play and in transition, and Saturday’s output delivered on both fronts.
Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic was active with the puck throughout the opening period. His distribution from the blue line helped New Jersey establish sustained zone control early in the contest. That support gave the Devils multiple offensive layers beyond just their top forward, and the Rangers struggled to account for puck movement at the point while tracking Hughes below the circles.
New York’s blue line was short-handed for stretches of the game. A full Rangers defensive group in a postseason series would present a stiffer challenge. Still, four points from Hughes in a divisional contest is the kind of output that sharpens a team’s identity heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
Key Developments From the Devils’ 6-3 Win
Hughes recorded his second hat trick of the 2025-26 season, the fourth of his NHL career, confirming his status as New Jersey’s primary offensive engine.
The Devils scored three power-play goals, converting on three of their opportunities — a man-advantage efficiency rate that will factor into opposing coaches’ penalty-kill preparation.
Hughes’ breakaway goal with 3:04 left in the third period closed out the 6-3 final and completed his hat trick.
Chris Cuylle temporarily tied the game at 3-3 for New York by deflecting a Braden Schneider point shot with 3:07 remaining in the second period.
Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic provided puck-moving support from the blue line in the opening period as New Jersey constructed their forecheck structure.
What This Result Means for New Jersey’s Playoff Push
New Jersey’s win over the Rangers carries direct weight in the Metropolitan Division standings. A victory over a conference rival adds two points while denying the opponent any — a net swing that matters acutely in tight divisional races. The three power-play goals in a single contest signal strong unit cohesion from the Devils’ top man-advantage group.
New Jersey’s first power-play unit is constructed around Hughes as the primary trigger. It looked sharp against a Rangers penalty kill that had been one of the more reliable units in the Eastern Conference this season. Coaches across the league will adjust their kill schemes, so the Devils must keep their power-play structure adaptable as the schedule narrows.
The Devils’ roster construction and prospect pipeline have been built to support exactly this kind of top-line production. Hughes is delivering on that organizational investment. Two hat tricks before the final stretch of the regular season gives New Jersey a clear offensive identity entering the postseason race, and the film from Saturday shows a center operating with full confidence in every zone.
Across 82 games in a Metropolitan Division grind, separating contenders from pretenders often comes down to individual brilliance in rivalry matchups. Hughes provided that Saturday. His four-point night against a divisional opponent reinforced why the Devils built their forward group around him, and why opposing penalty kills must account for his dual threat at even strength and with the extra attacker.
How many hat tricks does Jack Hughes have in his NHL career?
Jack Hughes has recorded four career hat tricks in the NHL, with two coming during the 2025-26 regular season. His most recent hat trick came March 7, 2026, in a 6-3 New Jersey Devils victory over the New York Rangers at Prudential Center in Newark.
What was the final score of the Devils vs. Rangers game on March 7, 2026?
The New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 6-3 on March 7, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Hughes scored three goals and added one assist for four points, and New Jersey converted three power-play opportunities during the contest.
Did Jack Hughes score on the power play against the Rangers?
Yes. Hughes scored one of the Devils’ three power-play goals in the 6-3 win over the Rangers on March 7, 2026. He also scored at even strength to break a 2-2 tie and added a breakaway goal in the third period to complete his hat trick.
Who scored for the Rangers in the 6-3 loss to the Devils?
Chris Cuylle scored for the Rangers by deflecting a Braden Schneider point shot, temporarily tying the contest at 3-3 late in the second period. New York finished with three goals total in the March 7, 2026 defeat at Prudential Center.
Martina VogelMartina Vogel is a Swiss tennis correspondent who has covered every Grand Slam tournament since 2009. With a degree in sports journalism from the University of Zurich, she brings a European perspective and deep tactical insight to her coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. Martina has conducted sit-down interviews with multiple Grand Slam champions and is known for her detailed match analysis that explores the chess-like strategy within every rally.
