Rangers dig an early hole in loss to Devils
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) protects his net from New Jersey Devils' Tomas Tatar (90) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Newark, N.J. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
NEWARK, N.J. — If the playoffs started today, the Rangers would face the Devils in the first round and Game 1 would be in New Jersey.
The postseason is more than two weeks away, though, and both teams have seven games left in the regular season. Things still could change.
But the Rangers’ 2-1 loss to the Devils on Thursday at Prudential Center dealt the Blueshirts a major blow in their chase for home-ice advantage in a potential series between the teams. The Devils (47-20-8, 102 points) opened a four-point lead over the Rangers (44-21-10, 98 points) in the battle for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
“We don’t know who we’re playing [in the playoffs] yet, but if this is the team, then it’s a good matchup,’’ Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said.
The playoff picture didn’t get any clearer when first-place Carolina lost to Detroit in regulation. The Devils are one point behind Carolina for first in the division, though the Hurricanes have a game in hand. If the Devils are able to pass Carolina and capture first in the division, the Rangers will face the Hurricanes in the first round.
The Rangers entered Thursday with only one regulation loss in their last 11 (9-1-1), but early on, the Devils’ speed created problems for the Blueshirts.
Two first-period goals by the Devils’ Erik Haula and Timo Meier (on a power play) put the Rangers in a 2-0 hole they could never escape. Chris Kreider’s power-play goal got the Rangers within 2-1 in the second period but they failed to score in the third despite a 10-7 edge in shots.
The Rangers did have a glorious chance to tie it in the final minute when Artemi Panarin’s shot slithered past Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek (24 saves) and lay a couple inches off the goal line. The Rangers’ Vladimir Tarasenko was in position to reach out and tap the puck in, but before doing that, he lifted the stick of Devils defenseman Ryan Graves to prevent him from clearing the puck. Graves still got his stick back down before Tarasenko could, and the defenseman was able to clear the puck to safety.
“They came out hard, and they got two goals there, and maybe it took us a little while to settle in,’’ Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “It’s tough to dig yourself out of two-goal deficits against good teams.’’
Igor Shesterkin made 29 saves for the Rangers.
The Devils dominated possession in the first period and outshot the Rangers 14-8. The scoring chances, according to the website Natural Stat Trick, were 19-3 in favor of the Devils. But the Rangers played better in the final two periods.
“The start for them was probably the difference in the game,’’ Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey said.
“They were fast, they were quick, and it’s exactly what we expected,’’ Gallant said. “I thought after the first period, we played really well, but the first, they were a lot quicker than we were.’’
So now the Devils, Rangers and Hurricanes are left to play out the season, with no games left against one another, to determine who finishes first, second and third in the division, who plays whom in the first round, and who has home-ice advantage.
The Rangers will play the Sabres on Friday in Buffalo. The Devils’ next game is Saturday in Chicago.
Kreider ties Hadfield. Kreider’s goal was his 33rd of the season and 262nd of his career. He tied Vic Hadfield for fifth on the Rangers’ goals list.
Andy Bathgate is fourth at 272 and Adam Graves is third at 280.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
