Nemec scores in OT, Devils edge Flames

CALGARY -- Simon Nemec scored at 1:18 of overtime, and the New Jersey Devils edged the Calgary Flames 2-1 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday.

Nemec took a backhand pass from Jack Hughes and chipped the puck past Calgary goalie Devin Cooley, who went for the poke check.

“They turned the puck over and Jack is a great player,” Nemec said. “He saw me there and I just tried to score and it worked out. [Cooley] surprised me with the stick, but I just chipped it over the pad.”

New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said he was impressed with the play by Nemec.

“Call it a goal-scorer’s goal,” Keefe said. “A lot of guys might just smash that into the goaltender, but great poise under pressure. Big goal and very well played by him, for sure.”

Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils (25-22-2), who bounced back from a 4-1 loss at home to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves.

“Whenever you get on a long road trip and get off to a good start and get the win, it definitely gives us a lot of motivation,” Mercer said. “It’s definitely a good start, and with a back-to-back tomorrow (at the Edmonton Oilers), it definitely gives us some life.”

Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames (21-23-5), who had won two straight. Cooley made 29 saves.

After a scoreless first period, Cooley denied Connor Brown on a short-handed breakaway at 5:47 of the second period by getting his glove on the New Jersey forward’s wrist shot to send the puck out of play.

“When he needed to make a save, like the breakaway chance, he made big saves at the right time,” Calgary coach Ryan Huska said. “Unfortunately, that happens sometimes. He goes for a poke check in overtime and missed on that, but he’s been a very good player for us.”

Mercer was able to give the Devils a 1-0 lead at 7:51 of the second. Situated at the right post, Mercer redirected a pass from defenseman Dougie Hamilton that hit Cooley’s arm before trickling across the goal line.

“I was trying to get it up and deflect it, kind of get it off my stick as quick as possible, because when you're in that tight you don’t want to give the goalie more time,” Mercer said. “Good thing it went over the goal line before he got that glove [on it].”

Kadri tied it 1-1 at 9:44 of the second with his first goal in 14 games. He dropped the puck back on a rush to a trailing Kevin Bahl, who then sent a return pass to Kadri for a one-timer from the right circle.

“It felt nice,” Kadri said. “Going through a slump is never easy. It never gets easier. I’ve been able to gain some mental toughness over the years. You’ve just got to fight your way through it. A great play by ‘Bahler’ setting me up. I certainly needed that one.”

Defenseman Zach Whitecloud made his debut with the Flames after being acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday for defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Whitecloud had two shots on goal in 22:33 of ice time.

“I just kind of hit the ground running,” Whitecloud said. “I got in and got a little nap in, which was nice, and then I was able to come here a little earlier and get to know everyone, introduce myself, and kind of get into a regular game-day routine, which helped a lot. And the guys were great.”

New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes left the game at 8:51 of the second period with an undisclosed injury.

“He’s going to have to get evaluated, but he’s going to miss time, for sure, so we won’t see him on the rest of this road trip,” Keefe said.

NOTES: Nemec’s overtime goal was his third of the season. Only two defensemen in NHL history have had more in one season: Shayne Gostisbehere (four in 2015-16) and Scott Niedermayer (4 in 2001-02). … Devils forward Lenni Hameenaho had two shots on goal in 12:38 of ice time in his NHL debut.