The New York Rangers opened their preseason schedule on Sept. 21 with a matchup against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. It was the first real chance for prospects, depth players, and a few veterans to make an impression in game action. The Rangers came out on top with a 5-3 win to start their preseason.
Game Recap
Jonathan Quick started in goal for the Rangers opposite Jake Allen for the Devils. The Rangers came out pushing just over three minutes in, and Gabe Perreault opened the scoring after a crisp pass from Casey Fitzgerald behind the net, making it 1-0 at 3:12. The Juuso Parssinen-Perreault-Conor Sheary line continued to impress with strong shifts. Midway through the period, Sheary was called for tripping Angus Crookshank, putting New Jersey on the power play. Quick made several solid saves on the penalty kill, but the Rangers couldn’t clear the puck, and Brian Halonen ripped a slapshot past him, assisted by Dennis Cholowski and Mike Hardman, tying the game at 10:55.
Quick kept the game level with a sharp stop on Arseni Gritsyuk, and the Rangers earned a power play when Ethan Edwards slashed Jonny Brodzinski. However, Paul Cotter broke free shorthanded, only for Quick to come up with another big save. The Devils’ penalty kill held strong, allowing no real chances. Shortly after, Halonen was whistled for high-sticking Urho Vaakanainen, giving New York a second opportunity with the man advantage. Starting with their second unit, the Rangers again struggled to generate much, as the Devils’ kill was even sharper than the first.
Late in the frame, Sheary nearly restored the lead off a setup from Perreault, but Allen made the stop. The Rangers pushed hard in the final minute, but Allen stood tall. The biggest positive of the period was the energy from the Sheary-Parssinen-Perreault line, while the biggest negative was the lack of effectiveness on the power play.
The Devils switched goaltenders to start the second, with Nico Daws replacing Allen. Just over three minutes in, Matt Rempe made a strong play on the forecheck, using his speed to create a chance. Though he fanned on the initial shot, Dylan Roobroeck buried the rebound to restore the Rangers’ lead at 3:11. Quick responded with a big save on a partial breakaway before giving way to Dylan Garand at 8:16. The period as a whole was less structured than the first, but the Rangers continued to find moments of quality. Scott Morrow made a key keep-in to extend pressure, and shortly after, Parssinen’s hustle in the neutral zone sprung Sheary on a breakaway. Sheary snapped a shot past Daws to make it 3-1 at 11:15.
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The game loosened up further from there. A strong shift from the Blidh-Laba-Brodzinski line led to Morrow throwing a puck toward the net from the high slot. It deflected off Dmitry Ozipov and slipped behind Daws for a 4-1 lead at 13:28. New York nearly extended it again as Perreault created another chance with a setup for Parssinen, but it was the Devils who struck next. Gritsyuk forced a turnover and fed Cotter, who beat Garand cleanly at 15:52 to cut the lead to 4-2. The Rangers answered back immediately, generating sustained offensive zone time before Vaakanainen’s point shot was blocked, only for Brodzinski to pounce on the rebound and score at 16:51 to restore the three-goal cushion.
Moments later, tempers flared as Nate Aspinall and Nathan Légaré dropped the gloves in a short fight that ended with Légaré wrestling Aspinall to the ice. Soon after, Vaakanainen was called for holding Juho Lammikko, giving the Devils their second power play. The Rangers’ penalty kill held firm, with Garand making a sharp save on a Halonen one-timer. New York killed it off, and the period closed with the Rangers leading 5-2.
The Sheary-Parssinen-Perreault line opened the third period with another strong shift. Shortly after, Anton Blidh broke free on a breakaway, but Daws turned him aside. New York kept the Devils pinned in their own zone for extended stretches, generating multiple chances, but Daws held firm. Five minutes into the frame, the Rangers were clearly the better team. Midway through, Connor Mackey and Légaré dropped the gloves again, this time with Mackey earning a decisive win. However, after the scrap, Mackey was assessed a slashing minor, served by Roobroeck, giving the Devils their third power play. The Rangers killed it off without much difficulty.
Sheary’s hustle then drew a tripping penalty on Colton White, setting up another Rangers power play. Justin Dowling had the best look with Rempe screening in front, but New York couldn’t convert. The game took a turn when Brennan Othmann caught Calen Addison up high and was assessed a five-minute major for elbowing, putting the Devils on the power play for the rest of regulation. Less than a minute later, Vaakanainen cross-checked Cody Glass, giving New Jersey a 5-on-3. The Devils pressed hard, with Fitzgerald breaking up a chance before Garand made a big stop on Gritsyuk. Seconds later, though, Gritsyuk buried a one-timer off a feed from Cholowski and Halonen to cut the deficit to 5-3.
With just over a minute remaining, New Jersey pulled Daws for the extra attacker. They generated several dangerous looks, but Garand stood tall, and the Rangers held on for a 5-3 win.
Rangers Takeaways
- The Rangers’ best line from start to finish was Sheary, Parssinen, and Perreault. They consistently drove play, created sustained offensive pressure, and generated several high-quality chances. Sheary scored on a breakaway, Parssinen picked up an assist and made an excellent defensive play in the neutral zone, and Perreault’s vision stood out as he set up his linemates repeatedly. Their strength was the biggest positive of the game for the Rangers.
- The power play was the biggest negative. New York finished 0-for-3 and rarely looked dangerous. The Devils’ penalty kill not only shut down the Rangers but also created shorthanded chances, including a breakaway that Quick had to turn aside. Luckily, this will not be the Rangers’ power play unit in the regular season, but one would hope that they will look more dangerous in their next game.
- It was a rough game for Othmann. After a strong rookie camp, he wasn’t noticeable offensively and instead stood out for mistakes, including a turnover that led directly to a Devils goal. His night ended on a low note when he was given a five-minute major for elbowing, leaving the Rangers shorthanded for the remainder of the game.
- Discipline nearly cost the Rangers down the stretch. Othmann’s major, combined with a cross-checking penalty on Vaakanainen, gave the Devils a long two-man advantage. Gritsyuk finally cashed in to cut the lead to two, and the Rangers had to weather heavy pressure to finish the game. Against NHL-level competition, a stretch like that could easily swing the result the other way.
- Next Game: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7 PM vs. Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden.
