The New Jersey Devils kept their razor-thin postseason hopes alive Sunday night with a desperate 3-0 shutout victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom anchored the critical win at the Bell Centre. The loss abruptly snapped Montreal’s massive eight-game winning streak.
The Canadiens entered the building with total momentum. They had just defeated the Devils 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday to cap a perfect five-game road trip. But Markstrom completely flipped the script on Sunday. He stopped all 18 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the 2025-26 season.
Timo Meier and Cody Glass provided the early offense for New Jersey. Connor Brown then sealed the result late with an empty-net goal. Montreal goaltender Jacob Fowler made 17 saves in the loss.
The matchup carried entirely different stakes for both benches. New Jersey is fighting for its life in the Eastern Conference wildcard race. Every single point matters right now. Montreal, however, had the pressure lifted hours before puck drop. The Canadiens officially clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth Sunday afternoon after the Detroit Red Wings suffered a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild. That paradigm shift makes Montreal the first Canadian NHL franchise to secure a playoff spot this year.
Despite the relaxed stakes for the home team, Markstrom refused to give an inch. He heavily denied dynamic Montreal forward Cole Caufield with several highlight-reel stops. The frustration leaves Caufield stalled at 49 goals for the second consecutive game.
The Devils’ Decade of Dominance at the Bell Centre
New Jersey’s victory highlights one of the most unusual geographical advantages in professional sports right now. The Devils have now won 11 consecutive games at the Bell Centre. That stands as the longest active road winning streak in the NHL against a single opponent.
The Canadiens have not beaten the Devils on home ice since December 14, 2017. Montreal simply cannot solve New Jersey in their own building.
The result also secured a major personal milestone. Sunday marked Markstrom’s 25th career NHL shutout. As noted in the official post-game summary, his ability to completely shut down the hottest team in the league gives New Jersey a vital pulse heading into the final stretch of the regular season.