Rangers 5, Devils 2: Game 7, it is

The Devils were not able to convert their great start into a lead after 20; and things fell apart after that. Now, the Hudson River rivalry will be decided in Game 7.

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A few notes following a squandered opportunity to advance to Round 2:

The start was killer…in more ways than one

The Devils came out absolutely flying. It was almost as if their season was on the line. They were first to every puck, they won a ton of battles, their defense was activating along the wall to keep plays alive and bottle up Ranger attacks before they even started breaking out. It was an absolute clinic.

For most of the opening period it felt like an achievement if New York could get out of the the defensive zone with the puck, let alone make anything happen afterwords. That’s not an exaggeration.

At 5v5 the Devils out-attempted the Rangers by 16, recorded 11 more scoring chances, and won the high-danger battle 7-0. The Devils played so well that Curtis Lazar found the back of the net. Curtis Lazar!

Yet, they exited the period tied at one.

Dawson Mercer made an extremely risky pass at the top of the offensive blueline late in the period. It was intercepted and taken the other way for a breakaway. While a sprawling Mercer managed to knock the puck away and erase the chance, it led to a Rangers power play – which of course they converted on.

Just like that a dominant period was completely erased. The Devils’ +6 Grade A chance differential, and 71% expected goal share, across all situations led to a 1-1 scoreline.

Mercer mistake aside, the Devils couldn’t have played a more perfect period. Even though finishing was an issue, they still should’ve left with a lead and entered the 2nd frame with the home crowd on pins and needles. That didn’t happen.

Naturally, the Rangers played much better in the 2nd and 3rd than the 1st. I don’t think it anywhere close to as one-sided as the scoreline – nor the ESPN broadcast – would suggest but the Rangers did feed off the late goal and come into their own.

I think the 1st period was more or less the game. The Devils should’ve exited the opening frame with a lead; up two or three if we’re talking about what was deserved. They didn’t – and it proved costly.

Time to change things up