Rangers head home with a commanding lead and lots of promise
The Blueshirts have jumped out to a 2-0 series lead
When it comes to playoff matchups between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, guarantees are nothing new.
While there were no Mark Messier-esque proclamations heading into Thursday’s clash, it was all but guaranteed that the Devils would give the Blueshirts a better fight, or at least more fights, than they put forth in Game 1.
But the Rangers, unlike their cross-town counterparts, were unfazed.
It will only get tougher, of course, as the Blueshirts head home looking to close out this resilient New Jersey squad, but the Devils are undoubtedly in a precarious spot after another decisive defeat.
Despite falling behind 1-0 in the first period of Game 2, the Rangers battled back and took control of the contest over the final two frames, rattling off five unanswered goals en route to a second-consecutive 5-1 victory.
After winning just two of their 10 road games in last year’s playoffs, the Blueshirts are two-for-two in 2023, and they have yet to even surrender a five-on-five goal.
On Thursday, it felt like the Rangers simply outclassed the Devils once again, managing the puck, dictating the pace and dominating on special teams.
Gerard Gallant and his squad clearly entered this series with a plan, and thus far, they are executing at an extremely high level. They have done an excellent job of deliberately altering their style, shifting to a more structured, conservative dump-and-chase approach while strategically still picking their spots to attack off the rush.
Whether it has been a result of the Blueshirts’ physicality and smothering defensive efforts, or just a product of their own inexperience, the Devils, on the other hand, have looked rattled in their return to the postseason.
Jack Hughes has been credited with a series-leading nine giveaways while no Rangers player has registered more than two. Blue-chip trade deadline acquisition Timo Meier has been invisible. The Devils’ defensemen have been shaky at best. Even elder statesman Lindy Ruff looks flustered after making some questionable lineup changes.
But for the Rangers, the biggest development to come from Game 2 was the long-awaited arrival of “Showtime,” as Patrick Kane put together what was far and away his best night as a Blueshirt.
Perhaps Kane’s February 28th arrival was never meant to be anything more than just a preview ahead of the mid-April debut of the show, as the 34-year-old looked like a shell of his former self over his first few weeks in blue, sparking questions as to whether he was too injured, too old or just saving himself for a vintage postseason run.
If Thursday’s tilt is an indication of anything, it was the latter.
Most importantly, though, Kane finally finding his footing over the last two games only epitomizes the story of this entire team, which has resoundingly flipped the switch just in the nick of time.
Although this series still has a ways to go, the Blueshirts are unequivocally in the driver’s seat as they head back across the bridge.
Not just that, but they clearly smell blood in the Hudson and will be looking to effectively bury the Devils on Saturday night.
And for this one, the only guarantee is that Madison Square Garden will be rocking.
As Showtime takes Broadway. For real this time.