Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves, Chris Kreider scored two power play goals and the New York Rangers stunned the New Jersey Devils 5-1 Tuesday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan Lindgren and Filip Chytil also scored for Rangers. Adam Fox had four assists and Artemi Panarin had two in this seventh renewal of this River postseason rivalry, the first since 2012.
The Devils, who set franchise records with 112 points and 52 wins in the regular season and beat New York three times in four games, never quite got their fast game going. When they threatened, they failed the network or were denied by Shesterkin.
His only goal came on a Jack Hughes penalty kick with 2:46 to play. Vitek Vanecek had 18 saves.
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Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers celebrates a first period power play goal by Chris Kreider #20 against the New Jersey Devils during game one of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2023 in Newark, USA New Jersey. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Rangers also won the special teams battle. Kreider scored on two of his three power plays and Rangers blanked the Devils with their four-man lead, holding them without so much as a shot on goal, though the penalty kick came in lieu of a power play.
Game 2 returns here on Thursday night.
The Rangers, who finished third in the Metropolitan Division behind the Devils, set the tone in the first 10 minutes and never looked back. They hit, blocked shots and were very physical around the net.
Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers warms up before game one of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Devils captain Nico Hischier and Hughes were knocked down to the ice early and often, with Rangers captain Jacob Trouba providing the big hits.
Tarasenko, who was acquired from St. Louis before the trade deadline, scored at 4:58 of the game on a jumper from the middle of the circle off a fine pass from K’Andre Miller.
Kreider scored on a spike at 9:30 with Miles Wood in the penalty area. Lindgren, who scored one goal in the regular season, scored near the end of the second period and Kreider had another early in the third.
After Hughes scored his penalty kick, Chytil scored into an empty goal.
Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers warms up before game one of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
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NOTES: Devils D Luke Hughes, Jack’s brother, was a healthy scratch. The team’s first draft pick in 2021 came out of college and played in the last two games of the regular season. … Akira Schmid was the Devils’ backup goaltender in place of veteran Mackenzie Blackwood. … The Rangers didn’t get their first shot on goal of the second half until Vanecek fended off a Pananin shot with 11:08 to play.