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Rangers Edge Out Devils in First Meeting of ’23-’24 Season

For about eight months the New  York Rangers had to live with the taste of that bitter playoff defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils in the opening…

Rangers Devils

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 18: Mika Zibanejad #93,Erik Gustafsson #56,Vincent Trocheck #16 and Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers celebrate after a goal during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 18, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

For about eight months the New  York Rangers had to live with the taste of that bitter playoff defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils in the opening round of last season's Stanley Cup Playoffs. On Saturday night, the Blue Shirts took a major step in exercising those demons.

The best team in the Metro Division flexed its muscle in the third period of a 5-3 win over their cross-river rivals at Prudential Center Saturday night.

The Rangers scored three consecutive goals in the third period after watching the Devils - twice - tie the score in the opening period, and, later, take a 3-2 lead on a goal by Erik Haula.

However with 8:36 to go, Artemi Panarin saw the puck get free on a face-off, and quickly slapped it across Vitek Vanecek for the tying goal sending the Rangers fans at the Rock into a tizzy.

Six minutes later the Blue Shirts lit the lamp again when Jimmy Vesey backhanded a shot into the rebound off Tyler Pitlick's shot into the back of the net to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead with 2:49 to go.

Finally with a little over 90 seconds to go Blake Wheeler added the empty netter to ice the game at 5-3 Blue Shirts.

The victory is the fourth in a row for the Rangers, who improve to an astounding 12-2-1 on the season. The Devils fall to 8-7-2.

As for the Devils, they did welcome back Jack Hughes to lineup after missing five games with an upper body injury. He scored his sixth goal of the season back in the first period on a shot that initially tied the proceedings at one.

Next:

Rangers visit Dallas on Monday. The Devils visit Detroit on Wednesday. These two teams won't see each other again until February 22.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.