The New Jersey Devils opened their 2026-27 preseason schedule with a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Sunday, in a game that leaned heavily on prospects and depth players from both organizations.
Cole Eiserman put the Islanders ahead in the second period with a power-play goal. New Jersey answered later in the frame when Ryan Schmelzer scored off the rush to tie it. Connor Brown supplied the winner in the third period on a breakaway, according to the Devils’ own recap of the game.
Devils goaltender David Rittich handled the bulk of New York’s 24 shots on goal, while Islanders netminder Vitek Vanecek took over in relief for the third period. Both clubs left most of their established NHL regulars at home for the opener. New Jersey, in particular, was said to be holding its veterans back for the team’s next exhibition outing against the New York Rangers. Prospects Amadeus Lombardi and Xavier Parent stood out for the Devils, with Parent especially effective at five-on-five, according to the post-game recap.
The result was one of several preseason games around the league Sunday, as clubs continued evaluating training-camp bodies through the early exhibition schedule that opened league-wide on Saturday, Sept. 19.
Carolina was scheduled to visit Florida later Sunday night in another preseason tune-up, though that result was not available by this report’s filing.
There was no Oilers game Sunday. Edmonton is off until Tuesday, Sept. 22, when it visits the Winnipeg Jets for a rematch of Saturday’s preseason opener, a 5-2 Oilers win at Rogers Place. The Oilers’ exhibition slate continues after that with a road game at the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, Sept. 24, and a home date against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, Sept. 26, before Edmonton opens the regular season at home to Vancouver on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
There is no confirmed new word on Oilers trades, injuries or roster moves beyond what has already been reported this camp, including the club’s decision under head coach Mike Babcock to name Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman to the team’s expanded leadership group as alternate captains.
Around the rest of the league, several other clubs were in action Sunday as the preseason moved into its second full day. Both the Oilers and Jets will use Tuesday’s rematch to get a longer look at players competing for the final spots on their opening-night rosters ahead of training camp cuts later this month.
