NHL 2022-23 Playoffs RD 1: New Jersey Devils (M2) vs. New York Rangers (M3) - (New Jersey wins series 4-3)

[pilldoc]

Schedule TBD

 

All discussion here

 

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (3) New York Rangers

Game 1: | Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m. | at NJD | TV: TBS
Game 2: | Thursday, April 20, 7:30 p.m. | at NJD | TV: TBS
Game 3: | Saturday, April 22, 8 p.m. | at NYR | TV: ABC
Game 4: | Monday, April 24, 7 p.m. | at NYR | TV: ESPN
Game 5*: | Thursday, April 27, TBD | at NJD | TV: TBD
Game 6*: | Saturday, April 29, TBD | at NYR | TV: TBD                                                                                                                   

Game 7*: | Monday, May 1, TBD | at NJD | TV: TBD

Edited May 2, 2023 by pilldoc

[mojo1917]

Rooting for the meteor to strike the arena in this series.

 

 

[mojo1917]

FTR I hate the format that has top teams from the same division meeting in the first round. 

Seeds should be based on the conference standings This is a match-up that would be better in a later playoff round.

[pilldoc]

2 hours ago, mojo1917 said:

FTR I hate the format that has top teams from the same division meeting in the first round. 

Seeds should be based on the conference standings This is a match-up that would be better in a later playoff round.

 

Understand your POV but is this no different than back in the day when it used to be the Patrick / Smyth / Adams / Norris Divisions and you had 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3 within the division?  Granted there were no Wild Card teams but you had a great many rival playoff matchups.

 

Then the NHL went to the Conference Playoff format which seeded teams 1 through 8.

 

I see valid points to both sides of the spectrum/argument

[Buffalo Rick]

On 4/13/2023 at 11:42 AM, mojo1917 said:

FTR I hate the format that has top teams from the same division meeting in the first round. 

Seeds should be based on the conference standings This is a match-up that would be better in a later playoff round.

Ah, memories of 1994.  Talk about classics.  Whether you are a fan of either team or not, that series was one of, if not the best I have ever seen.  Messier guaranteed victory in game 6 and delivered.  The Rangers would win the Cup vs Vancouver and Bure, and that was far scarier than most had assumed, myself included.  The series between the Devils and Rangers was one for the ages in 94.  Maybe some of the old Bruins vs Montreal series were right there with it?  When Don Cherry coached and when Cheevers was in the  nets.  But that series in 94, the Presidents trophy winning Rangers vs a battle tested , and previous Cup winning Devils team that was loaded.  Stevens on defense, one of hte all time best. 

Now the new era matchup.  Same old Devils playing their good defense.  But no longer the classic trap team they were back then. I believe the Devils have too much defense and they win this series in 6.  Lindy Ruff , I still have a hard time seeing him behind that bench.  The longest tenured coach in Sabres history and one of the longest ever. Now he is up in age but still working his magic.  He knows how to get players to like him.  He is the type that has a sense of humor.  Always.  But he also has a tough side. This may be the finest job he has ever done along with 1999 when he almost pulled it off with the Sabres.  Devils win, too much defense.

[Math]

Goalies: 

Defense: 

Offense: 

Special teams (PP/PK): 

Coaching: 

Mental: 

Experience: 

Robustness: 

Depth: 

 

This one is a coin toss. The Rangers are maybe a little bit better but the Devils have nothing to lose. I pich the Rangers because of Shersterkin.

 

Rangers in 7.

[ruxpin]

This goes 7, I would think.

 

I picked the Devil's because of home ice.

 

The playoff set up makes perfect sense to me, but I agree with @mojo1917that this feels like a matchup that would have been even better in later rounds.

[yave1964]

My must watch series, rangers in seven because of goaltending 

[thegx.ca]

Rangers are the most stacked team this year from goaltending to defence to scoring to toughness...I take them in 5...

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

As good a season as the Devils have had, I am of the belief that good teams...REAL contenders....build and build, learn from past heartaches, and take their next steps forwards, and go on to bigger and better things.
That would be the NY Rangers.

Props to NJ from basically going from a sorta worst to first situation.....meh, not quite but you get the gist....and they really do have some very talented players.
Even picked up a recent two time SC Champion player in Ondrej Palat to help their efforts.

But the Rangers are hungry, and have been hungry for the last three seasons, and have been thwarted by better squads every time.
THEY look to be the 'better squad' this time around. THEY are looking to dish out the heartache now to a up n coming team like NJ.
THEY want to make sure they score their Cup before some of their more senior talent ages out, and while Shesterkin is still Vezina quality.
That time should be NOW for them.

Having said that, NY has looked pretty beatable throughout the year. Even Shester has looked pretty mediocre on more than a few nights, but I think they put things together just in time now, use their recent playoff experience combined with their speed and grizzled vets, and deny the Devils first round passage.

It won't come easy. Devils have proven they are no easy mark for anyone.
So it will take NY at LEAST six games (my vote), but it could possibly go 7.

[Brewin Flames]

I'm going NYR in six....the reason, IGOR

[FD19372]

I'm going with youthful skill and team speed, over a great goalie in Shesterkin. Devils in 7.

[SaucyJack]

Rangers must have an eye on the scoreboard.  They’re singing to Tampa Bay in their heads, 

 

Anything you can do, I can do better!

 

OK, so far equal: 3-zip Rags in Jersey.

[Brewin Flames]

Jack Hughes frustrated by effort with Devils down 2-0 to Rangers

11:34 PM ET

• 
  Greg WyshynskiESPN

Two games in, the New York Rangers have absolutely dominated the Battle of the Hudson.

 

The Rangers took a 2-0 series lead against the New Jersey Devils with a 5-1 win in Game 2 on Thursday night, having now outscored their rivals 10-2 in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup.

 

"Of course there's frustration. We just got whacked for the second straight game, you know?" Devils star Jack Hughes said. "We're not playing to our standard, and it's biting us in the ass right now."

 

The Rangers once again feasted on the power play, scoring twice with the man advantage for the second straight game. Rangers forward Chris Kreider has scored all four power-play goals for New York.

 

The Devils are 1-for-8 on the power play through the first two games, scoring once on the man advantage in Game 2.

 

"Special teams, I think that's pretty much the story of this game," said forward Timo Meier, the Devils' high-profile trade deadline pickup who has yet to record a point in the series. "We're not doing a good job on the power play, and they're doing a good job on the power play scoring."

 

The Devils also took some frustrating penalties, including in the attacking zone.

 

"I don't think we're playing very well. We're taking terrible penalties. Everyone's gotta play better," Hughes said.

 

Things started off well for the Devils. Coach Lindy Ruff noted that the Rangers were able to take control of Game 1 after taking an early lead and put a premium on the Devils scoring first. Forward Erik Haula did just that at 11:44 in the first period on the power play.

 

The Rangers' Vladimir Tarasenko evened the game at 5:53 of the second period with his second of the playoffs, beating goalie Vitek Vanecek (25 saves) from a distance.

[Brewin Flames]

Kreider scores 2 more, Rangers open 2-0 lead on Devils

 

 

0:55

 

Patrick Kane adds to Rangers' big lead in New Jersey

Patrick Kane adds to Rangers' big lead in New Jersey

---

ByAP

Updated: 5 hours ago

NEWARK, N.J. -- — The New York Rangers and Chris Kreider certainly picked the right time to get their power play in high gear.

 

Kreider scored two more power-play goals in a three-goal second period and the Rangers stunned the New Jersey Devils 5-1 on Thursday night to a take a 2-0 lead on the road in their first-round playoff series.

 

The series has revolved around the power play. The Rangers are 4 of 10 on their chances with the extra skater, with Kreider tipping in all four goals. The Devils are 1 for 8, so they are not scoring — and are giving up goals when defending.

“He’s one of the best, not only in the league, just that I have ever seen," said Patrick Kane, who had a goal and the two primary assists on Kreider's goals. “He’s able to get his stick on everything. In practice, we do a lot of drills where shots are coming from the point and he just tips everything.”

 

And they go in the net.

 

Rangers center Vincent Trocheck said while it might look as though the Devils are leaving Kreider alone in front of the net, New York has Kane, Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin and Kreider on the ice for their power plays.

 

“I don’t think it’s necessarily leaving him alone. I mean, it’s a 5-on-4,” Trocheck said. “ You got Panarin, Kane, Mika, Fox, Kreider out there. You’re going to take away four of them, but you don’t want to leave any of them open.”

 

Vladimir Tarasenko and Kaapo Kakko also scored and Fox added two more assists to give him six in two games. Igor Shesterkin had a relatively easy night, making 21 saves.

“Their power play has been dangerous," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "That has been the biggest difference”

 

Erik Haula scored for New Jersey, which has been outscored 10-2 after going 3-0-1 in the regular season against New York. Vitek Vanecek finished with 26 saves in a game that got one-sided and chippy late.

Referee Wes McCauley and Frederick L'Ecuyer sent five players from each team to the locker room with 6:40 left.

 

The best-of-seven series shifts across the Hudson River to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday, respectively.

 

“No one’s over the moon. There's a long way to go,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said.

 

Haula put New Jersey on the board first with a rebound in the crease in the waning seconds of a power play.

 

Tarasenko got the Rangers going 5:53 into the second period, taking a pass from Fox and beating Vanecek with a shot from the top of the circles.

 

A little more than four minutes later, Kreider tipped a slap shot from Kane past the Devils goalie. He stretched the lead to 3-1, using great hand-eye coordination to pop a soft pass by Kane over Vanecek's shoulder into the net.

Kane scored on a breakaway at 6:34 of the third period after sustained Devils pressure. Kakko scored in close shortly after a New Jersey penalty ended.

 

After setting franchise record for wins (52) and points (112) in one of the biggest turnaround seasons in league history, the Devils are suddenly faced with seeing their season in jeopardy.

 

“This is what we worked for all year,” forward Timo Meier said. “We’re staying positive, we’re going to move on and obviously look and correct some things. But now it’s go time and go win the next game.”

 

Devils young superstar Jack Hughes acknowledged it's frustrating not being able to play as well as they did in the regular season.

 

“They’re a good team, so we’re just not playing to our standard," he said, "and it’s biting us in the (butt) right now.”

[mojo1917]

This will be a learning for the young guys on the Devils. 

The Rangers are a few steps ahead of them in nearly every way.

The Rangers can (mostly) skate with NJ they have better and more experienced top end players, the Rangers goalie is miles better than the bums NJ is dressing.

I thought these games would be close but that NYR would win in 5 or maybe 6...the Devils look mostly outclassed and will be doing hard work to avoid being swept.

The Rangers look like they will be playing for a while this spring.

 

[GratefulFlyers]

Happy to see the Devils make a series of it. They didn't play well at home as Hamilton noted after the game but they sure did last night. Changing goalies might've helped but the difference to me was how much better the Devils skated. I assume they'll come back with Schmid for G4. Holding this Rangers' team to 1 goal is impressive if he can pull if off again...

 

I still think the Rangers advance but if the Debs can take G4 at MSG the doubts will surely start to creep into the Rangers' heads. But I'll bet they don't lose at MSG again this series.

[SaucyJack]

19 minutes ago, GratefulFlyers said:

Changing goalies might've helped but the difference to me was how much better the Devils skated.

Yes, I thought the Rangers skated rings around them in New Jersey.  Not last night.

 

Just imagine if they’d stayed with Vitek Vanacek in net, and still won…

 

Then…the erstwhile rookie pair of goalies with the Washington Capitals (Vanacek and the Leaf’s Ilya Samsonov, of course both traded since) would have the best victories of their respective careers on the exact same night…

 

…but no, the Devils replaced him for Game Three (as they should have.). Still, would have been a remarkable coincidence!

Edited April 23, 2023 by SaucyJack

[GratefulFlyers]

Well that was ugly from the Rangers. I’m surprised they turned in such a halfass effort for the 2nd consecutive game. It was actually worse than G3. Coach wasn’t happy with anything they did and he was right. Devils are a good team but they shouldn’t be able to control 60 minutes against the Rags at MSG. 

[mojo1917]

The nice thing about this series is one of my least favorite teams will lose.

For example, last night When the Rangers couldn't really get Shesterkin off the ice for 1:30 of playing time as the game wound down.

I laughed and laughed at their incompetence and struggles.

Then, I remembered, another hated team was benefiting from the Rangers struggles- and I was less happy.

That's the other edge of the sword eh?

 

I'm glad New Jersey made a series of this, and I am a little surprised at just how badly they outplayed the Rangers in the garden.

NJ looked a lot quicker in New York than they did at home. 

Will be interesting to see what happens the rest of the way.

 

 

 

[Buffalo Rick]

I feel the winner here has a shot vs Carolina and I am going to pick the winner to beat them.  Not that it will matter.  Toronto will beat them.

[Buffalo Rick]

This could go to OT just like last night’s get.  The Devils should be hell bent on protecting 

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

NY has an early advantage with the PP, but NJ isn't sitting back and instead, using their PK to attack.
Ballsy!

Results in NY taking a  holding penalty, so the NJ PK turns a disadvantage into a 4 on 4 situation, followed by a brief PP.
Not bad.

Also, Akira Schmid once again in net for the Devils.
At this point, win or lose for NJ, I would be very surprised if Schmid wasn't given the opportunity to win the starter's job next season....meaning one of Blackwood or Vanecek would have to be on the way out.

Edited May 2, 2023 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[GratefulFlyers]

Devils own the Rangers for 2 periods except for a few looks at deflections and a couple rushes and that’s when Schmid came up big. What the hell was Fox doing on that PP? He looked like he was sleepwalking. The Rags were at least defending well until that screwup. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Timo Meier is no flyweight pansy, but Jacob Trouba just blew him up like the guy had C4 in his jersey!

Meier dropped his line of sight for just a second, but it was long enough for Trouba to pounce.
Ruled a clean hit, though Meier's head took a hit from the shoulder, but the Trouba elbow was kept tucked, and the primary point of contact looked like it was the chest of Meier....Timo was awfully low too.

Hope he is ok, but THAT is why you don't go ostrich heading through traffic like that....especially with someone like Trouba on the hunt...