Devils Take Back Home Ice with Win over Rangers
DEVILS 3 – RANGERS 1
The New Jersey Devils are not only back in their best-of-seven series with the New York Rangers, they have taken home ice advantage away as well. The Devils came away with a 3-1 victory over the Blue Shirts at Madison Square Garden, sending the series back to Newark with home ice now firmly in the Devils corner. Ironically the “road” team has won every game of this wild series thus far.
For the second straight game the Devils started Akira Schmid in front of the net, and for the second straight game, he was money. Schmid blocked 22 shots and gave up only a Vincent Trocheck goal early in the second period. All the while, he shut down the lethal combo of Chris Kreider, Victor Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, holding to a combined seven shots on goal and one assist.
As for Jersey, Jack Hughes got the party started with his third goal of the playoffs, less than three minutes into the opening period to give the Devils a 1-0 lead. In the third period, Jonas Siegenthaler put the Devils in front for good when he fired his shot from the left circle and watched it wiz past Igor Shesterkin for the goal.
"Playoffs are great. You never know who's going to be the hero on any given night."
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 25, 2023
Tonight it was Siegs. And we love that for him.
📰: https://t.co/ta9eaito2X pic.twitter.com/Lezu5V8Web
Gerard Gallant when asked if there wasn't enough desperation in Game 4: "Agree 100%. Very disappointing"
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 25, 2023
On the effort: "Not good, not good enough. Not even close to good enough" pic.twitter.com/adrZZFFhhn
The season now comes down to three games, all beginning Thursday when the Devils host the Rangers in Game 5. Should the Rangers win, they will regain home ice for at least a game, as Game 6 shifts back to the Garden.