The New Jersey Devils almost looked like they were turning the page on the narrative that they can’t hang with playoff-bound teams since Christmas, until they didn’t.

New Jersey hasn't won consecutive games since Jan. 22-25. It has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs 10 times in the past 12 seasons, last qualifying in 2022-23 when it reached the second round for the first time since 2012 after finishing with the most wins (52) and points (112) in its history.

Star center Jack Hughes appeared to suffer an arm/shoulder injury late in the third period of their 2-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame that Hughes is “going to have to be evaluated. Obviously it didn’t look good.”

In the final minutes of the third period of Sunday night's game, New Jersey Devils' Jack Hughes crashed into the boards behind Adin Hill's net at T-Mobile Arena after colliding with Vegas Golden Knights' forward Jack Eichel.

The New Jersey Devils' depth at the center position suffered a huge blow on Sunday as captain Jack Hughes exited his team's 2–0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Hughes was forced out of the game following a third-period collision with Jack Eichel with under two minutes remaining that sent the former crashing into the boards.

The New Jersey Devils were awaiting test results Monday after star forward Jack Hughes left the ice Sunday night with an apparent arm or shoulder injury. Hughes crashed hard into the boards behind the Vegas net after a collision with Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel late in the third period of the Nets' 2-0 loss in Las Vegas.

New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes suffered a gruesome right shoulder injury in Sunday night's loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes exited his team's 2-0 loss to the Golden Knights on Sunday after a collision in the third period with Vegas forward Jack Eichel that sent him tumbling to the ice and into the boards behind the net with 1:48 remaining.