Rangers hammer Devils, take 2-0 series lead back across the Hudson.

The New York Rangers’ first-round game one win was so nice they decided to do it twice. Once again, Vladimir Tarasenko got them on the board, Chris Kreider tipped home two power-play goals, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin kept the high-octane New Jersey Devils at bay. The result was their second straight 5-1 victory on Thursday, for a 2-0 series lead, which they’ll take to a raucous Madison Square Garden for game three on Saturday night.

As expected, the Devils changed their lineup and began the contest looking to cause havoc using their physicality and trademark transition game. Prudential Center erupted when Erik Haula pounced on a loose puck for a power play goal and a 1-0 Devils lead, but it was all Rangers from there. Patrick Kane, who admitted, “People should expect more from me,” after a sluggish game one despite recording an assist, registered a goal and two assists in game two. His breakaway goal in the third period extended New York’s lead to 4-1, serving as the backbreaker.

It’s no secret this Devils team is younger and inexperienced when it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs, which was a card fans played following game one. However, there was no simply no excuse for Thursday’s debacle. “This team looks petrified,” a Devils season ticket holder said. “I don’t know what they must do to change things, but they got to figure it out quickly.”

This series isn’t over yet. But for one that was expected to go the distance, we’re now in a position where it’ll be over by Monday, should the Rangers take care of home ice.

“There’s a long way to go,” Rangers Captain Jacob Trouba said. “I think everybody knows that. It’s a pretty even-keeled, level-headed group in here. That’s a fun game to be a part of, so I think you got some smiles and energy out of that. But after tonight, turn the page, worry about tomorrow, and prepare for Game 3.” The film portion of that preparation should stay within game two.

The Rangers began the period taking the play right at a Devils defense that didn’t have Jonas Siegenthaler, as the $3.4 million defenseman was scratched for the physicality of Brendan Smith. At the 5:53 mark, Adam Fox, who had four assists in game one, dropped the puck back for Vladimir Tarasenko, whose wrist shot got his team going for the second straight game.

Vincent Trocheck took advantage of a poor decision by Kevin Bahl to wrap the disc behind the net and around the boards for Ryan Graves instead of going tape to tape. Vincent Trocheck kept the puck in the offensive zone and found Artemi Panarin down low, who fed Ryan Lindgren at the point before Fox and Tarasenko worked their magic. A few minutes later, Miles Wood went off for slashing, which gave the Rangers a power play and set the stage for the Chris Kreider show.

THE CHRIS KREIDER SHOW:
After two tip-in goals in game one, Chris Kreider didn’t want to discuss much else aside from Thursday’s game two. “Game two is the hardest one to win after your win game one,” he said. After another two-goal game on Thursday, he amended that statement and said game three. That’s who Kreider is. His mind is always forward, never backward. That may be one of the reasons why he’s incredible at net-front deflections. The first one came at the 9:57 mark of the second period when he tipped home an Artemi Panarin shot to give the Rangers the lead for good.

Then, following a holding call against Timo Meier, Kreider deflected Patrick Kane’s shot past Vanecek for New York’s third goal in 10:07.

“He touches everything that comes in, so it’s tough to cover that on the power play,” Kane said. “You don’t ever really see defensemen tie up with the net-front guy, so if there are lanes to shoot it, we want to shoot it because it’s a good chance he’s going to deflect it one way or the other.” The two tallies made Kreider the first player in NHL history to score four power-play goals in a series, extending his franchise record to 38 playoff goals.

SHOWTIME SHOWED UP:

After recording assists on both of Chris Kreider’s goals, Patrick Kane took matters into his own hands and netted one himself. Up to this point, he had been alright but didn’t exactly take over games as he did even in his last days with the Chicago Blackhawks before the February 28th trade that brought the three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Conn Smyth winner to Broadway. Those doubts quickly subsided for at least one night when Showtime stripped the puck away from Jesper Bratt, and roofed it over Vanecek on his trademark backhand, increasing the Rangers’ lead to 4-1.

Feeding off of the momentum, Filip Chytil set up Kaapo Kakko to bookend the scoring.

Equally as impressive as the Rangers’ offense has been their defense. They’ve limited a Devils offense that averaged 3.52 goals per game in the regular season, good for fifth in the NHL, to just two in the first two games of the series. Most of that can be attributed to goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who made 22 saves on 23 shots and has a +2.88 Goals Saved Above Expected for the series.

But the Blueshirts forwards have helped out too. Anytime New Jersey looked to push the pace, there was the fine stick work of Mika Zibanejad, breaking up the attempted east-west plays.

When the Devils looked to establish the forecheck, Vincent Trocheck and Vladimir Tarasenko kept them honest by wearing them out with their physicality. “The forwards are helping us out so much,” Ryan Lindgren told the Athletic. “They’re getting back and reloading behind us. That gives us a chance to stay in the neutral zone and not let them get as much speed as they want. That’s huge against a team like that that wants to make plays with speed.”

Sometimes,  the Devils looked to get under the Rangers’ skin, but Jacob Trouba would answer it with one of his bone-crunching hits each time. “Playing that way and that physical isn’t easy to do all the time,” the captain, who had a game-high eight hits,  told the New York Post.  “There are times in the regular season if we’re behind, we fall into the trap of saying, ‘Let’s skill it out.’ But we didn’t fall into that trap tonight.”

The infectious energy surged throughout the lineup, as even Braden Schneider wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

These Rangers haven’t only beaten the Devils through their first 120 minutes of playoff hockey, but they’ve eradicated them. As a result, there will be more adjustments made by New Jersey. Come Saturday, we could see Akira Schmid handling the net instead of Vitek Vanecek.  Regardless, the fans, who filled the arena with “Let’s Go Rangers” and Igor’s better” chants towards the end of the game, and the Rangers will be ready for it. “I can’t wait to see the Garden,” Kane said. Neither can we. Bring on game three.

MARV’S 3 STARS:

1. Patrick Kane (1 goal, 2 assists, 17:56 of ice time)

2. Chris Kreider (2 goals, 19:52 of ice time)

3. Igor Shesterkin (22 saves on 23 shots, +1.19 Goals Saved Above Expected)

Honorable Star: Jacob Trouba(8 hits, 3 blocks, 22:10 of ice time)

BLS FAN COMMENT THE NIGHT:  “I can’t decide what is most impressive.  The Rangers own the offensive zone with the forecheck. They dominate on the PP.  The PK is awesome.  They’re giving the Devils no room in the D-zone.  All unbelievably solid.”- Steve Paulus 

WHAT THEY SAID: “The team should feel embarrassed by their play and need to completely change everything before heading to the Big Apple.
Having an opposing team chanting “Let’s Go Rangers” in your own building and “Igor” while most jerseys are blue at the end of the game is not a good look. The guys on the ice needed to give the fans something to cheer for. Even if they came up short in a hard-fought game, at least show something.” -David Holliday, Pucks and Pitchforks