New Jersey Devils Humbled In Return To Postseason Versus New York Rangers
The New Jersey Devils came into game one of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with excitement and energy. This is the first playoff series in five years, and it’s against the New York Rangers, the Devils bitter rivals.
Then the puck dropped.
The Devils were then utterly embarrassed for the next 60 minutes by the Blueshirts. If it were not for a Jack Hughes penalty shot goal, they would have been shutout for the first time this season. They simply did not show up. Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Ondrej Palat, and more offered next to nothing productive. They were humbled 5-1 at home. It was no contest.
Three glaring issues popped out while watching this complete waste of time. The first main issue was the penalty kill. The Rangers went two for three on the man advantage. Chris Kreider scored both for the Rangers.
What stuck out was the lack of coverage on Kreider. The thorn in the Devils’ side for the last decade has scored 34 power-play goals over the last two seasons. How did the Devils adjust to such a power play threat? By leaving him wide open to do exactly what he does best, which is tip pucks into the net. Kreider scored the second and fourth goals for his team, putting the game vastly out of reach for the nonexistent Devils.
The second issue that shot the Devils in the foot was that their own power play did not convert on any of their four opportunities. In fact, according to Devils play-by-play announcer Bill Spaulding, the Devils did not even manage to register a shot on their opportunities. For a team to get four power plays in a playoff game is rare. This is the time when referees put the whistles away. Teams have to capitalize on their opportunities.
There was no adjusting on the power play. The strategy consisted of throwing the puck toward the net and hoping something gets through. Nothing did. The Rangers seemingly blocked anything the Devils had to offer.
The third issue was the lack of adjustments. The Rangers seemingly knew the Devils game plan, and they broke it down to perfection. Barely anything got to Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin and what did was nothing an all-world goalie could not handle. The Rangers matched the Devils’ speed by clogging every possible passing lane and open ice. There was no adjusting on the fly besides a few line changes, which rarely work. If the Devils want to have any hope in the next few games this series, Lindy Ruff will have to adjust.
Hoping Ruff will adjust, and if he actually will are two totally separate things. While this writer understands it is only Game 1 out of a possible seven, the issues are glaring. Ruff has only seen the playoffs four times since the Bush administration, and he’s only won one series in that time. Gerard Gallant knows how to push his team deep into playoff runs. Ruff must match his opponent for the Devils to get even remotely close.
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The inexperience argument that many people have thrown out there was scoffed at by Devils fans. It is time for Devils fans to realize it is a very real thing. The Devils and their fans were humbled by the Rangers tonight. It is okay for people to admit that their team has flaws. If Ruff and the Devils do not correct those flaws, this series may be over even before game five.