NEWARK, N.J. – Seven games remain for the Rangers and Devils in the regular season and nothing is decided yet.
But the Rangers’ 2-1 loss to the Devils Thursday at Prudential Center dealt the Blueshirts a major blow in their attempt to pass the Devils in the Metropolitan Division standings and gain home ice advantage in a potential playoff series.
With the loss, the Rangers (44-21-10, 98) fell four points behind the Devils (47-20-8, 102) in the battle for second in the division, and if the season were to end today, the two teams would face each other in the first round, and Game 1 would be in New Jersey.
The Rangers (9-2-1 in their last 12) were two points behind the Devils before the game and would have pulled into a tie for second with a regulation victory.
But two first-period goals by the Devils, from Erik Haula and Timo Meier, put the Rangers in a 2-0 hole. Chris Kreider’s second-period power-play goal got them within 2-1, but they couldn't get the tying goal.
The way the NHL playoffs work, the second- and third-place teams in each division face each other in the first round, so as of now, the Devils and Rangers would oppose each other when the playoffs begin, unless the Devils – who pulled to within one point of division-leading Carolina (103 points) – can catch and pass the Hurricanes and win the division. In that case, the Rangers and Hurricanes would play each other in the first round.
In any case, the Devils, Rangers and Hurricanes have no more games left with each other the rest of the way. The Rangers left for Buffalo after the game, and they play the Sabres there on Friday. The Devils next game is Saturday in Chicago.
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant before the game downplayed the importance of having home ice advantage in any playoff series.
“I don't think it's a huge difference, to be honest with you,’’ he said. “We had it last year when we were against Pittsburgh, (but) we were down three games to one and we battled back. We had home ice, but you know, you’ve still got to win on the road, and you’ve got to play well. I'd like the home ice advantage, but I don't think it's a big, big deal. We win games and we won game seven in Carolina last year. So… it's important, but it's not important.’’
And in the first period, the Rangers played as if home ice really wasn’t that big a deal to them. They seemed to spend way more time in their defensive end than the offensive end, and were outshot, 14-8, and outscored, 2-0, on goals by Haula and Meier (on the power play).
According to the analytics website Natural Stat Trick, the Devils had 19 scoring chances to the Rangers’ three, one of those 19 being a shorthanded two-on-one break on which Igor Shesterkin (29 saves) was needed to make a good glove save on a shot by Dawson Mercer with 42 seconds left in the period.
Haula’s goal, a redirection of a pass by Dougie Hamilton, gave the Devils the early lead at 5:17 of the period, and Meier’s 36th goal of the season – and his fifth in 14 games with the Devils after coming over from the San Jose Sharks before the trade deadline – made it 2-0 at 17:03.
The Rangers appeared to gain a little ground in the second period, and eventually got on the board on Chris Kreider’s goal at 13:24. The goal was Kreider’s 33rd of the season and the 262nd of his career. He tied Vic Hadfield for fifth on the Rangers’ all-time goals list.
