Devils Provide Much More Resistance for Rangers in Game 3 Loss
By Conor Power
After two wins in dominating fashion in Newark, the New York Rangers dropped game three on home ice to make the series 2-1 ahead of Game Four at Madison Square Garden. It was a close-fought 2-1 defeat to their Hudson River rivals in overtime and the Rangers now lead the series by the same scoreline. It’s another display of how a good road team like the New Jersey Devils organization is still well and truly alive in this series.
Chris Kreider grabbed his fifth goal of this series in game three as one of the early favorites for the Conn Smythe trophy awarded for playoff MVP. He’s having one heck of a postseason to this point even with most of his goals coming on the man advantage, it is important to emphasize how good he has been during this playoff series for the Blueshirts. The hope is that he continues to play as well as he has been.
Outside of that, last night’s game was quite difficult for the home club. It was a difficult game for the rest of the forward core with the Rangers unable to solve the new Devils netminder in Akira Schmid. If the Rangers want to make this a quick series, they know they are going to need to figure out a way to solve the Swiss shot-stopper more frequently and with more regularity. That kind of inability to score will sink this team.
Game Four is also at the Garden, but the Devils’ victory in game three makes it certain that there will be a return to the Prudential Center in this series. That will be in Game Five, but the Rangers need to make sure that when that game comes around, they are not tied in this series. Losing both games at the Garden after winning both road games would be a bad way to gift home ice back to the Devils.