Devils 4, Rangers 0: Statement made

With a dominant Game 5 effort, the Devils are just one win away from their first series victory since 2012.

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A few notes following New Jersey’s dominant Game 5 win over New York:

Pedal to the metal

The Devils completely took over the series at 5v5 in New York, controlling more than 71% of the high-danger chances over two games.

They were at it again in G5, earning themselves a 16-9 edge in terms of Grade A opportunities (22-10 across all situations).

What I loved most about the Devils’ performance was that there was no letup. The Rangers had their moments – mostly in the 2nd period – but the Devils never stopped pressuring and pushing to create.

They weren’t throwing pucks away and trying to survive for half the game. They were still spending a lot of time on the front foot, which has been a strength for the team all season long.

The 3rd period, especially, was an absolute clinic for the Devils. Up by multiple goals, and on the verge of taking a series lead, a lot of teams would’ve parked the bus.

Chip pucks out, chip pucks in, and try to chew clock while absorbing plenty of pressure along the way. That’s not what we saw from the Devils.

It was almost as if they were the team down multiple goals. They were creating dangerous chances off the rush and spending large chunks of time working the puck down low in the offensive zone.

The Devils were able to turn a 3-0 lead into a 4-0 lead and, quite frankly, the Rangers were lucky it wasn’t a puck or two worse. The Devils had so many chances.

Top to bottom, it was as good of a performance as you’ll see in a playoff game. And now the Devils are just one win away from advancing to the 2nd round.

Erik Haula was spectacular