The Rangers’ power play seemed to be the most competitive component of their offensive on Tuesday night.
But when they were offered two late chances of human advantage in the third period of a single-goal game, the Rangers failed to capitalize. As a result, they lost the first of eight games this season against the Devils, 4-3, at Madison Square Garden.
“We have looks, we spent a lot of time in their area,” said Chris Kreider of the Rangers’ third-period power play. “I thought I did a pretty good job of doing what I wanted to do, I just didn’t get the rebounds. We continued to jump on the free pucks and sneak them inside. What was the final number of hits? 50 photos? I wasn’t just working the perimeter on the power play, I was taking the tire to the net.
“[Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood] he’s a big boy, he’s probably seen a few too many pucks. I need to do a better job of screening. But at the same time, there was a lot of traffic, a lot of movement. At the end of the day, you have to throw his head, he made some big saves. I think if we continue with this approach, there has been a rhythm. Pass, pass, shoot, pass, pass, shoot. Recovery, step, step, shot. That’s how you destroy the killing. If we continue with this approach, we will be fine. ”
Two of Rangers’ three goals came to the man’s advantage in the second period. Their first equalizer did not come until Filip Chytil eliminated a seven-minute recovery in the third period to bring the Rangers to a standstill.
The Devils have been called up for too many men on the ice in just over four minutes lately, and the Rangers have drawn two penalties later in the third. However, the Blueshirts couldn’t get another one to play for power, as Blackwood stood tall to finish the night with 47 saves on 50 shots.
“I looked great, listen, their goalkeeper played well,” Rangers head coach David Quinn said of Rangers’ 2-for-6 power play.
Alexandar Georgiev rejected 16 of the 20 shots he faced before Quinn opted to put Igor Shesterkin in the net to start the third. Shesterkin finished with eight saves.
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff, who left the Rangers assistant coach position in July after three seasons, won his first coaching game against his former team.
Travis Zajac opened the scoring for the Devils 32 seconds after the puck fell. The Rangers were held to a single shot on goal in the first 11 minutes of play, while the Devils clogged each lane and crowded the middle in front of Blackwood.
After ashes erupted in front of the Devils’ plate at the beginning of the second period, Michael McLeod was penalized for harshness when he put Jacob Trouba in a block. Taking advantage of the man, Kreider sought to turn his puck back to Mika Zibanejad, but bounced off the skates of Devils defender Ryan Murray and passed Blackwood to tie the game 1-1 at 2:50 of the second.
Less than two minutes later, Georgiev got a shot from a Ty Smith shot, but lost sight of the puck behind him and Jack Hughes came in to make it a two-goal game. Hughes started the next play as well, blocking a shot from Trouba and taking it all for a 3-1 lead at 8:38 of the second.
The Rangers reduced their deficit to one in the third power play of the night, when Adam Fox sent Zibanejad an unforeseen pass for once. But Trouba executed a strong penalty in the second 15:38, and Hughes set up Miles Wood to make it 4-2, four minutes from the second.
A shot from PK Subban in the center later made it 5-2, but Quinn fired for offside and the goal was taken.
“We will continue to learn and grow and I am sure there will be times of adversity,” Kreider said. “But we have to find a way to get points, especially in such a game.”