NEWARK, New Jersey — Jack Hughes, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, scored his first NHL goal for the for the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in a game that had particularly special meaning for the rookie and his family.
With older brother and fellow NHL rookie Quinn Hughes on the Vancouver Canucks‘ bench and more than 70 close friends and family in the stands, including parents Jim and Ellen, Jack Hughes scored a power-play goal to give the Devils a 1-0 lead in the first period.
The goal was assisted by 2010 No. 1 pick Taylor Hall.
This was the first time in their young NHL careers and only the second time ever at any level that Quinn and Jack Hughes had gone head-to-head in a game.
Jack Hughes had gotten off to a difficult start to the season until notching his first NHL point on an assist in the Devils’ first win of the season Thursday against the New York Rangers.
Hughes’ early season point drought had been the longest for a No. 1 draft pick to start his career since Steven Stamkos went pointless through his first seven NHL games in 2008-09.
Quinn Hughes, who is 18 months older than Jack, was the seventh overall pick by Vancouver in 2018. He scored his first career goal 10 days prior in a Canucks win over the Los Angeles Kings.