The Devils received the first goals of the season from all four of their goal scorers in Mercer, Damon Severson, Jimmy Vesey, and an empty-net goal by Pavel Zacha.
The Devils will host Washington on Thursday and Buffalo on Saturday before finishing their five-game season starting homestand next Tuesday against Calgary.
Look at the bottom of the post for some words on this year's Devils coverage.
Hell Raisers
1) The biggest news of this game?
It has to be the injury suffered by Jack Hughes in the first period on a hit by Seattle's Jeremy Lauzon.
Hughes fell hard on his shoulder and didn't return to the game.
Hughes will be evaluated later today and he is listed as day-to-day.
2) The Dawson Mercer goal was a very pretty goal off a two on one break with Mercer taking a saucer pass from Tomas Tatar.
It's the type of goal that you like to see from young players because all too often, the younger players struggle in finishing the play.
Mercer was the second of two Devils first-rounders in 2020 and looks the part of a power forward.
3) Video replay giveth and taketh away for New Jersey in the win as the Devils lost a goal on a review but won an appeal to remove a Seattle goal.
Nico Hischier's short-range tip from a Jesper Bratt pass just missed clearing the goal line at the end of the first period but the Devils appealed a Seattle goal for missing the Kraken being offside on the play.
4) It was a rougher, more physical game than I expected for the second game of the season but in hindsight, I shouldn't have been surprised.
Expansion teams of today, like Seattle and recently Las Vegas, may be more prepared to win immediately than their past compatriots in expansion but they still have players with plenty of proving to do if they want to continue to play hockey in the league, so that leads to some scrappy play that can eventually get to...
5) Let's call them disagreements.
Mason Geertsen took on Jeremy Lauzon early in the second period after Lauzon's hit on Jack Hughes, Michael McLeod fought Chris Tanev in the first, and Jonas Siegenthaler battled Ryan Donato in the second.
Add to that, plenty of pushing and shoving between the teams, and there was plenty of chippy play in this game.
6) Seattle cut the game to one goal at three to two when Jared McCann scored on a five-on-three power play with just over five minutes to play.
Pavel Zacha was called for a slash and seconds later Damon Severson was called for a trip.
The Severson penalty wasn't smart hockey as well as being ill-timed.
7) The Devils power play was zero for three and didn't really have great chances with the advantage.
Some of that was likely struggles with the unexpected loss of Jack Hughes, so one can give them a pass for one night.
8) I thought Jonathan Bernier was good, not great in goal but more than good enough to earn the victory with his performance.
With Mackenzie Blackwood's status in flux, the play of Bernier is very key in the Devils using their five home games to start the season quickly.
9) I kept having a hard time watching the broadcast from a higher angle and not thinking that Seattle was San Jose.
The uniforms didn't look like the Sharks up close but the road whites reminded me of them a great deal from afar.
If you have been reading other than for the Devils posts, you may have seen a reduction in posts over the last few months and my occasional struggles.
My intent is to do as much Devils and Cavaliers coverage as I can and hopefully do a decent enough job with them.
I didn't do season previews for either team (or Ohio State or Browns for that matter) because I didn't want to put out a half-assed effort that isn't something I would be pleased with.
I will likely be covering the Devils next on Tuesday as their game vs Washington is against the Browns and their Saturday game against Buffalo ( as the Cavaliers game against Atlanta) is at the same time as Ohio State after a time change this week.
Hopefully, I'll get enough Devils coverage to make those of you that come for that alone to be pleased with what I write...
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