Welcome to the latest issue of Rangers News & Rumors. The New York Rangers turned in a dominant drive during Game 1 on April 18 as they defeated the New Jersey Devils, 5-1. They set the tone with Vladimir Tarasenko’s goal at 4:58 in the first and took a 2-0 lead by the end of the opening period. The Rangers calmed the Devils fans at the Prudential Center while giving their fans reasons to cheer.
First impressions mean a lot, and Rangers came out strong during the first game. Let’s take a look at the importance of blocking shots in New York and more in the latest issue of Rangers News & Rumors.
Deflect the attack of the demon rangers
The Rangers limited the Devils’ best players from creating pressure in their area several times during the competition. New York made sure Jack Hughes didn’t take his chances and gave him some wiggle room. The Devils went 0-4 and made no rebounds in the power play.
Barkley Godrow led the Rangers with 3:57 of ice time and blocked two shots on the penalty shootout. His exceptional ability as a defensive tackler tends to be overlooked during his 82-game spell. However, during the post-season, statistics such as blocked shots and tackles become more scrutinized when examining a game score. The 30-year-old has won seven out of 11 matches, with a rate of 63.64%.
As a team, the Rangers excelled, with seven players having more than one hit. In contrast, the Devils had only three players who finished with more than one hit blocking. Adam Fox contributed four blocked shots, establishing himself as one of the elite players in the league at his position.
Coach Gerard Gallant mentioned the importance Of the Rangers’ blocking shots in the opening frame, “In the first half of (the penalty kick) we blocked a lot of shots and that really set the tone for the guys on the bench. (They) did the little things to win the hockey game.”
Hughes received five gifts during the competition, including three gifts for power play. The Rangers had a good defensive plan to get him to turn the puck over. If they can force him to make mistakes going forward, New York will be in a better position to win the series.
Lindgren scored the main goal
Towards the end of the second half, Alexis Lafrenière of Rangers had a goal disallowed for going just over the height of the crossbar. However, less than a minute later, Ryan Lindgren scored to put New York up 3-0. It was a disappointment for the Devils’ hopes of getting back into the game trailing by three goals. If New Jersey had scored the third goal of the game and cut the Rangers’ lead to 2-1, that would have given the Devils momentum.
Fox commented on the timing of his defensive partner’s goal, “When he’s able to contribute like he does, it’s always a big goal for us. It was a big goal to make it 3-0. He does a lot of other things and when he’s able to contribute in that sense, everybody gets a boost.” of it” (from “Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren scores a key goal in the win over the Devils,” New York Post4/19/23).
Shesterkin continues to be dominant
Igor Shesterkin was his traditional self throughout Game 1 He stopped 27 of the Devils’ 28 shots on goal. Hughes was allowed to score on a penalty with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. The Rangers assisted the goaltender with 23 shot blocks, which reduced New Jersey’s offensive chances.
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If Shesterkin continues to play well, the Rangers have a huge advantage in the most important position. He has shown the ability to be the best player since last season.
The Rangers must prepare for a different Devils team
The Rangers expect the Devils to come out strong to start Game 2 on April 20th. New Jersey aimed to set an aggressive tone early on to help them even the series.
Demon boss Lindy Ruff suggested in his post-game comments After the first game “we had guys who didn’t puck well early on.” Players who weren’t in a playoff game before the first game of the series now know what to expect. He noted that “nerves and tensions” affected the club during the competition and encouraged his team to look forward to the second match.
2 X-Factors game
Philip Shettle
With a strong postseason, Filip Chytil can show why the Rangers front office was smart to extend a contract earlier this March. Lindgren assisted on the main goal and scored an empty net goal in the final minutes of the match. He won 10 of the 13 encounters he fought, a percentage of 76.92%; Only Devils center Michael McLeod has a higher winning percentage during the contest.
Barclay Goodrow
Goudreau showed what makes an underrated player for the Rangers during the first game of the series. He is a good penalty taker and contributes offensively at times. He is not ashamed of the body or refrains from getting into fights.
The Rangers got off to a good start but need to put game one behind them with a view to taking a second straight road game from the Devils. New Jersey will come out strong and look to take an early lead during Game 2. If New York can maintain their team’s strong defense and block shots against Shesterkin, they will increase their chance of a 2-0 lead. However, the indication is that the Devils have learned from their mistakes in game one and will make it difficult for the Rangers to win two straight games at the Prudential Center.