The Devils finally broke through in their first round series with the Rangers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning a 2-1 overtime match in Game 3 Saturday night at Madison Square Garden and changing the complexion of this clash of neighbors.
Dougie Hamilton scored the winning goal with 8:24 left in the first overtime period to lift New Jersey.
The Devils changed goalies, benching Vitek Vanececk and replacing him with Akira Schmidt, and New Jersey got a jolt from the move, resulting in a much more even game following two convincing Ranger road wins. One key for the Devs: They held the Rangers without a goal in five power-play chances after the Blueshirts had scored 40 percent of the time in such situations in the first two games.
Here are the key takeaways…
– The Rangers grabbed a 1-0 lead at the 3:39 mark of the second period by another goal Chris Kreider. Mika Zibanejad fed him on a two-on-one and Kreider skated in and shot it past Schmid on the stick side Jonas Siegenthaler slid to try to block the attempt. Zibanejad and Patrick Kane got assists on the play. Kreider celebrated by holding his arms out to the crowd. He is the first Rangers player to score five goals over the first three games of a playoff year.
– The lead didn’t last long, however, and the Rangers couldn’t add despite outshooting New Jersey, 11-6, in the period. With 9:23 left in the second, amid much chippiness on both ends of the ice, Devils star Jack Hughes scored his second goal of the series, looping out from behind the net to fire a wrist shot over Igor Shesterkin‘s right shoulder. The Rangers goalie appeared to be screened on the play. Hamilton and Jesper Bratt assisted. The goal came on the power play following a sequence in which Timo Meier fell into Shesterkin and Shesterkin whacked him with his blocker a few times and Braden Schneider hit Meier, too. Shesterkin was whistled for roughing. Meanwhile, in the Devils’ end, Artemi Panarin and Kevin Bahl tussled briefly and were given roughing penalties, too. Hughes’ goal came on the ensuing power play. Those weren’t the only scrums, though. At one point, an annoyed Nico Hischier had his gloves around Adam Fox‘s throat before officials broke it up.
– The Devils made a switch in goal after losing the first two games with Vanecek in the nets. He was replaced Saturday by Schmid, a 22-year-old from Switzerland who was 9-5-2 with a 2.13 GAA and a .922 save percentage in 18 games (14 starts) during the regular season. Vanecek, who had a strong regular season, gave up nine goals in the first two games (the Rangers had one empty-netter), recording a 4.52 goal-against average and an .827 save percentage. According to ESPN, Schmid is the first rookie goalie to start a playoff game for New Jersey since Martin Brodeur in 1994. Schmid gave the Devils an early lift, too, making a fine point-blank save on Filip Chytil and stopping two one-timers by Zibanejad on the Rangers’ first power play.
– The first period was pretty even and neither team scored. The Devils outshot the Rangers, 12-11. One of the best chances either team had was when Vladimir Tarasenko flipped a pass to Panarin that got Panarin loose for a breakaway. But the Rangers star shot high and wide of the net. Shesterkin was terrific, too, especially on one Devs’ rush where he stopped Meier and Hischier. The Rangers hit Hughes several times during the period and the Garden crowd particularly enjoyed a big one K’Andre Miller in the Rangers zone. Moments later, Miller delivered a big hit on Meier in front of the Devils bench.
Highlights
What’s next?
The Rangers still lead the series, two games to one, but New Jersey has pushed their way back into it. Game 4 is set for Monday night, back at the Garden, at 7 pm