Devils 5, Stars 1: Hellebuyck's debut came with help in front of him

Connor Hellebuyck's first night in a Devils uniform did not require him to carry an overwhelmed team. New Jersey limited Dallas to 17 shots, and Hellebuyck stopped 16 in a 5-1 road win Tuesday.

Nico Hischier scored twice. Jesper Boqvist, Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes added goals as the Devils won their fourth straight and sixth in seven games, ending the Stars' five-game winning streak.

It was Hellebuyck's season debut as well as his first start for New Jersey. A successful introduction is welcome. One game, particularly one with a relatively light workload, is not a complete verdict on a goaltender or the team built around him.

The answer mattered

The most telling response came after Justin Hryckowian scored Dallas' only goal. Luke Hughes answered 28 seconds later, according to the Devils' game report. New Jersey did not leave its new goalie to protect the same shrinking margin for long.

Shot volume cannot tell us everything about the difficulty of a goalie's night. It does show how often the opponent put the puck on target. The distinction matters here: the Devils got a winning debut from Hellebuyck while giving him help, rather than asking a new arrival to cover every problem.

That is the useful standard to carry forward. Strong goaltending and responsible play in front of it are complementary jobs. Tuesday supplied an encouraging example of both working together, not proof that either job is finished. New Jersey visits Colorado next.