The New Jersey Devils have found their stride. After dropping the first two games at home in decisive fashion, the Devils bounced back with two tight road wins to even their playoff series.
Jonas Siegenthaler scored the go-ahead goal in the third period. At the same time, rookie goalie Akira Schmid made 22 saves in another standout performance as the Devils defeated the New York Rangers 3-1 on Monday night, leveling their first-round playoff series at 2-2.
Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palat also scored for New Jersey, which had lost the first two games by identical 5-1 scores. Schmid, starting in place of Vitek Vanecek, was stellar again, allowing just one goal for the second straight game.
“That was a huge win for us,” Hughes said. “We put together a solid 60-minute game. A lot of resilience out there, and we’re feeling good.”
After their early offensive outbursts, the Rangers managed only two goals over the last two games. Vincent Trocheck scored for New York, and Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves, but the Rangers’ offense fell flat.
“Very disappointing, not even close to what we needed,” said Rangers coach Gerard Gallant. “That was tough to watch.”
Game 5 is set for Thursday night at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, with Game 6 back at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. If necessary, Game 7 will be on Monday night in Newark.
“We just need to get back to playing our game and trust ourselves,” said Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad. “It’s a best-of-three now.”
Schmid has been a revelation for the Devils since taking over the starting role, conceding only two goals on 58 shots in the last two games. The 22-year-old rookie was calm under pressure again on Monday, making key saves throughout the contest.
“We focused on taking away sticks and blocking shots,” Schmid said. “The team did an amazing job, and these last two games have shown me what I need to improve at this level.”
Trocheck tied the game 1-1 early in the third period, capitalizing on a rebound off Chris Kreider’s backhand pass from Patrick Kane. But Siegenthaler quickly responded, scoring at 8:22 with a shot from the left circle that slipped under Shesterkin’s glove and went off the post.
“We were strong defensively and worked hard across all three zones,” said Devils coach Lindy Ruff. “Siegenthaler jumped into the attack perfectly, and it paid off.”
The Rangers pulled Shesterkin late for an extra skater, but Palat sealed the win for New Jersey with an empty-net goal with 26 seconds remaining.
Erik Haula, a key figure on the Devils’ penalty kill, said the team is confident. “We know we’re a good team. When we play our game, we’re dangerous.”
In the second period, Schmid denied Vladimir Tarasenko with a crucial pad save. At the same time, Haula had a chance to extend New Jersey’s lead on a shorthanded breakaway but missed wide.
Hughes opened the scoring just 2:50 into the game, converting on a breakaway by calmly sliding the puck past Shesterkin for his third series goal. Schmid then made several key stops to keep the Devils ahead.
The series is now tied, and the Devils are returning home with renewed momentum.
Game Notes:
Power Struggles: After scoring on the power play in Games 1 and 2, the Rangers went 0 for 5 in Game 4. The Devils were 1 for 3 on the power play, with Hughes’ goal coming with the man advantage.
