The past two New Jersey Devils games resulted in a mixed bag, and now they head across the Hudson River to take on the New York Rangers. The Devils lead the Metropolitan Division with 43 points and a 21-5-1 record. The Rangers, meanwhile, are 14-10-5 and have 33 points, good enough for fifth place in the division. These teams last met on Nov. 28, with the Devils coming back from a 2-goal deficit to defeat their arch-rivals 5-3.
Despite this week’s offensive outburst, with the seven goals in two games, it was not enough to earn a sweep. The Devils shutout the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 on Dec. 6, with Dougie Hamilton’s three points and seven shots on goal leading the charge. However, against the New York Islanders on Dec. 9, the Devils struggled, falling 6-4.
“It was not the game we were hoping for or expecting of ourselves,” Ryan Graves said post-game. He was right, as the Devils have become used to winning this season. Four different Devils found the back of the net in the loss to the Isles.
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Monday marks the Devils’ second trip to Madison Square Garden in two weeks and the last time they will be playing in the historic venue in the regular season. Following the Rangers game, New Jersey has a crucial three-game homestand at Prudential Center this week alone. The Rangers have one more game at home against a fellow Original Six in the Toronto Maple Leafs before heading to Philadelphia to face the Flyers.
Team Rosters:
The Devils Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Tomas Tatar – Nico Hischier – Jesper Bratt
Erik Haula – Jack Hughes – Dawson Mercer
Miles Wood – Michael McLeod – Fabian Zetterlund
Yegor Sharangovich – Jesper Boqvist – Alexander Holtz
Defensemen:
Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves – John Marino
Brendan Smith – Damon Severson
Goaltenders:
Vitek Vanecek
Akira Schmid
The Rangers Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Alexis Lafreniere – Mika Zibanejad – Kaapo Kako
Artemi Panarin – Filip Chytil – Barclay Goodrow
Chris Kreider – Vincent Trocheck – Barclay Goodrow
Sammy Blais – Jonny Brodzinski – Julien Gauthier
Defensemen:
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba
Libor Hajek – Braden Schneider
Goaltenders:
Igor Shesterkin
Jaroslav Halak
What’s Happening in New York
It was a massive 2-1 shootout victory for the Blueshirts on Dec. 9 against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche. New York relied on their two superstars, Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, in the shootout, and it paid off. It was also the second shootout in the two games between the Rangers and Avs this season. Igor Shesterkin continued his impressive start, racking up 41 saves in the win. “The goaltender was incredible,” head coach Gerard Gallant said of the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. This was the Rangers’ third straight victory.
Three Rangers are scoring over a point per game, and both Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have double-digit goals, with 15 and 13, respectively. While the Rangers have dreams of repeating last season’s deep playoff run, it has not been a perfect winning streak. The team is on the playoff bubble and needs to continue their winning ways if they want to make it back there.
Keep an Eye On:
New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes
Jack Hughes continues to send shockwaves through the league in just his fourth NHL season. Not only did he score his 14th goal of the season to keep the Devils within striking distance of the Islanders, but he also set an NHL record. He was on the ice for a staggering six minutes and two seconds, the longest such shift in NHL history since the statistic was first recorded.
He has points in seven straight games, scoring goals in five of them. He leads the team in points, and he’s taken 106 shots on goal this season, the most among all Devils skaters. He’s lethal at 5-on-5, scoring 24 of his 33 points. We got a taste of his potential breakout campaign last season, with 56 points in 49 games. This season, Hughes is becoming the face of the franchise, cementing his place among the league’s youngest and brightest stars.
New York Rangers: Braden Schneider
In the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Rangers traded ahead of the Devils for the right to select Braden Schneider, and in his sophomore season, the defenseman is taking steps forward. He has two goals in the past two games, including one against the Avalanche. Schneider only has seven points in 29 games, but three of those have come in the past five games, and he’s solidified himself next to Libor Hajek on the back end. He is just 21 years old and could become a key part of a Rangers’ blue line that has impressed in recent years.
Where to Watch:
Both MSG and MSGSN will showcase the game between the Devils and Rangers. Bill Spaulding and Ken Daneyko will have the game call for the Devils on MSGSN, while Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti reporting from the Rangers side of things on MSG Network. For out-of-market fans who want to see the game, NHL Network will also carry it as part of a Network Showcase. The Devils Hockey Network, with Chico Resch and Chris Wescott, will once again provide fans the opportunity to listen to the action, and NHL Network Radio will carry the game on SiriusXM.
