The New Jersey Devils have signed a third consecutive victory and they can eliminate the New York Rangers in the next game.
A team won their first home game with the Devils 4-0 win at the Prudential Center in Game 5 of the series on Thursday.
It wasn’t too long ago that the Devils left home fans for the Big Apple with a 2-0 series deficit, but now they’ll head to Madison Square Garden with hopes of securing their ticket to the second turn, this Saturday.
Akira Schmid stopped 23 pucks for the shutout, allowing the Rangers just two goals in Games 3 and 4. It’s the first playoff shutout for a Devils goaltender since Martin Brodeur in 2012 against the Florida Panthers. Erik Haula set the tone offensively for the Devils with three points, including two goals.
” It’s incredible. We wanted to do better after the first two home games. We wanted to get a win for you,” Haula told fans after the game.
“The guys did an exceptional job in front of me,” said Schmid. They reduced my workload a lot. “
Ondrej Palat made sure the team’s supporters got up from their seats quickly. He recovered a free puck in the enclave to thwart Igor Shesterkin from the 39e second of play.
Haula scored his team’s second goal on the power play when he redirected a Dawson Mercer shot into the back of the net. Haula then reported himself shorthanded. He took advantage of a scramble at the blue line of Artemi Panarin to present himself two against one with Mercer. He handed the puck to his teammate who rattled the ropes with a powerful shot.
Haula completed the scoring in an empty net to confirm the Devils’ third-period victory.
“We executed a lot of things well and that’s what you have to do,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said. We knew we had to put our speed to good use. It makes us a dangerous team. ”
“We just haven’t been good enough,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. You also have to give credit to the Devils. They played their best game of the series. ”
In the loss, Shesterkin was left to his own devices in front of the Rangers goal. He finished the night with a total of 38 saves.
