It took a while. However, the power play finally broke through for the New Jersey Devils to highlight a 3-2 win on the road against the Blue Jackets on Columbus Day.

After going 0-for-6 in their first two games of the new season, the Devils were a perfect 2-for-2 last night. Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier each scored power-play goals to give the Black and Red a big division win over the Blue Jackets and spoil their home opener. Mercer added an empty netter that proved essential, with it holding up as the game-winner due to Dmitri Voronkov’s late goal that came with 21 seconds left in regulation.

Special teams and strong goaltending from both Jake Allen (23 saves on 24 shots) and Jacob Markstrom (8 stops on 9 shots) proved to be the difference in the victory which improved the Devils to 2-1-0 on a successful road trip to begin the season. They will finally return to Newark for their home opener against the defending champion Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

With Allen getting his first start, the veteran backup proved his worth in a busy first period marred by undisciplined penalties. The Devils were forced to kill a Dougie Hamilton high-sticking double minor after he drew blood on Miles Wood. The penalty kill did a good job limiting the Blue Jackets to the outside, allowing Allen to see the shots. He made five, including a big save on the dangerous Zach Werenski with the power play set to expire.

Back at even strength, the ice was tilted with the Jackets continuing to apply pressure in search of the game’s first goal. But Allen denied bids from Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan to keep it scoreless.

After Jet Greaves was tested by Connor Brown, another penalty was called on Brett Pesce for taking down Mathieu Olivier behind the net. He hooked him just enough to be sent off despite a mild protest to the ref. It was an aggressive Devils penalty kill that eventually forced Adam Fantilli to take an even-up minor that led to some four-on-four. A strong play from Mercer led to Fantilli hooking him from behind. The Blue Jackets forward thought he lifted the stick, but the replay showed otherwise.

Once Pesce left the box, the Devils went on the man-advantage. They were dangerous throughout due to quick passing. After captain Nico Hischier missed twice from in front on deflections, Greaves made a save on Hamilton. Jesper Bratt kept the play alive. With time running out, Jack Hughes had a Bratt pass deflect off him right for Meier, who quickly let go of a sharp angle shot that fooled Greaves for the game’s first goal as the power play expired. Meier was able to go short side on Greaves for his second of the season.

Prior to the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe decided to move Meier up to the top unit by moving Mercer down to the second unit. The move paid immediate dividends. Meier entered the game needing one more goal to match the identical amount of assists he had for his career. By getting it, he’s now up to 219 goals and 219 assists for 438 points in 624 games with both the Sharks and Devils.

Pesce nearly doubled the lead when his shot hit the goalpost. Another try was stopped by Greaves. Outside of the Meier goal he gave up, Greaves had a good night turning aside 25 of 27 shots. He could finally supplant incumbent Elvis Merzlikins as the Columbus starter.

In the second period, the Devils picked it up. After getting outshot 16-8, they held an 11-8 edge in shots. Both Meier and Bratt were denied early by Greaves. It remained a one-goal game until nearly the half-way point of the contest.

Following a good defensive play from Hughes in the first part of his shift, he made a glaring mistake that led directly to Marchenko tying the game. He tried to skate through the middle in the Blue Jackets zone. Instead, he was cleanly stripped by Marchenko, who took the puck away and turned it into an unassisted breakaway goal.

For Hughes, he continues to make the same mistakes. A dynamic offensive player who’s capable of putting up 40 goals and 100 points if he stays healthy, the 24-year-old former 2019 top pick still takes too many risks. He finished the game with an assist, six giveaways, and a minus-2 rating in 21 shifts (18:40 TOI).

Fortunately, the Blue Jackets put the Devils on another power play shortly after Marchenko’s game-tying goal. Luke Hughes drew a hooking minor on Cole Sillinger. On the five-on-four advantage, this time it was the second unit that struck to put them back ahead. On a quick feed from rookie Arseny Gritsyuk in transition, Mercer fired a one-timer from the slot past Greaves to make it 2-1 with 8:51 remaining in the period. It was the third point for Gritsyuk in the last two games. He has three assists since Keefe moved him off the fourth line. The former 2019 fifth round pick is a player to watch for the Devils.

A few minutes later, the Devils killed off a Blue Jackets power play. For the night, they went 5-for-5 on the kill while converting on both their power plays. That was the deciding factor in the first matchup of four between the teams. They won’t see each other again until December when they’ll play twice, with the Devils hosting the Blue Jackets on Dec. 1. They’ll then visit them on New Year’s Eve. The final meeting will be back in Newark on Feb. 3 before the Olympics.

Following a lighter middle stanza that saw him make seven saves on eight shots, Allen departed the game due to cramps. Markstrom replaced him for the third period.

With the Jackets on a sustained forecheck, Gritsyuk held Adam Fantilli to put them back on the power play. Markstrom came up with three saves, including one on Voronkov from in close. He turned away Voronkov again late in the period.

The Jackets came close to tying it. Olivier hit the crossbar with over five minutes left. With over two minutes left in regulation, they lifted Greaves for a six-on-five. Following a Kent Johnson missed shot, Mercer scored into a vacated net for his second of the game.

Despite trailing by two with so little time left, the Jackets didn’t give up. An Ivan Provorov backhand was rebounded home by Voronkov to make it 3-2 at 19:39. However, the Devils were able to successfully run the clock out for the well earned victory.

It wasn’t without an ailing Markstrom limping back to the locker room. Following the game, Keefe didn’t have any update. The injury seemed to occur on the Voronkov goal.

If Markstrom is unavailable, the Devils might have to make a move. They should have a better idea by tomorrow.