The Devils open the 2023 First Round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against their arch-rival New York Rangers. Puck drop is 7 p.m.
You can watch the game on MSGSN2, MSG2 and TBS or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.
Check back following morning skate for your pre-game story and pre-game videos. Read below for your game preview!

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

GAME DAY VIDEO
DEVILS MINUTE:
Go Time
INTERVIEWS:
Hughes
|
Hischier
|
Bratt
WATCH:
Head Coach Lindy Ruff
BY THE NUMBERS
Stats Comparison: Devils vs. Rangers
Media Game Notes
Head to Head: Devils vs. Rangers
Devils Player Statistics
Rangers Player Statistics
RECENT VIDEOS
DEVILS NOW:
One Day Away
DEVILS NOW:
A First Taste
NHL TONIGHT:
Lindy Ruff
RECENT ARTICLES
FEATURE:
Neophyte Devils Learn on Fly
THREE THINGS:
Game Inside the Game
NOTEBOOK:
Devils Prep for Game 1
TV & RADIO
You can watch the game on MSGSN2, MSG2 and TBS.
You can listen to the game on the Devils Hockey Network.

PRE-GAME STORY

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils held morning skate at Prudential Center Tuesday morning ahead of their Game 1 showdown against the New Yor Rangers.
New Jersey had a full slate of players with everyone participating (goalie Jonathan Bernier being the lone exception).
The Rangers held an optional morning skate.
Finally
It's been five days since the Devils last played a game. The anticipation for this game is high, and finally, both teams will begin their playoff matchup.
"We've been preparing for this moment since training camp," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "Our goal was to get to this day."
"It seems like it's two weeks now. The four days (off) when we started the break sounded real good. But now it feels real long," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "Everybody is excited to get it going."
Beyond just opening the playoffs, 10 players on the Devils roster could make their postseason debut in the coming days.
"It's really special. First playoff game tonight," center Jack Hughes said. "As a team we're really excited. It should be a good game. … We're really excited and we're really focused."
Game of Momentum
Hockey is a game of momentum. Grabbing it, holding it and getting it back when you lose it. The momentum swings are high in the playoffs and handling the mental demands will be key.
"Momentum in any hockey game can change with just a flip out," defenseman Brendan Smith said. "It's incredible what momentum does in the game of hockey. If you can keep that for long stretches, you're not getting scored on and feeling good about yourself. Confidence is something that you create.
"Momentum is a massive thing."
Kane Gang
Hughes has made no secret that he was a Patrick Kane fan growing up. Now, he gets to play him face-to-face in the playoffs for the first time.
"As an American, everyone looks up to Patty Kane. A player like me, he was my favorite player growing up," Hughes said. "I don't want to pump him up too much before the series. I have a lot of respect for him, and he knows that.
"Everyone knows he's probably the GOAT American player. It's pretty cool playing against him over the last few years and pretty cool watching him grow up."
Goalie Dual
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy last season after going 36-13-4 with a 2.07 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.
"He's got a good team in front of him. Good D corps first of all. Then he's a guy that can make the extra save. He's obviously a really good goalie," Hughes said.
When it comes to scouting, there are no secrets between the two clubs and that includes the goaltenders.
"Some guys like to get a read on a goalie. But at the end of the day, we've played him enough over the last few years," Hughes said. "We all have a read on him as a goalie and he probably has a read on us as shooters too. It's a game of where are you going to shoot? Shoot where it's open. We all know he's really good."
At the other end, the team has the fullest confidence in Vitek Vanecek, who went 3-0-1 against the Rangers during the regular season.
"We're really confident in him," Hughes said. "We know we have a staple back there and a really good goaltender. We have to play well in front of him, but we know he's there to bail us out when we need him to."

PREVIEW

Game 1
TV: 7:00 p.m. ET; Televised on MSGSN2, MSG2, TBS
RADIO: 7:00 p.m. ET; Live on Devils Hockey Network
SERIES SCHEDULE: 0-0
Game 1: Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m. at New Jersey; MSGSN2, MSG2, TBS
Game 2: Thursday, April 20, 7:30 p.m. at New Jersey; MSGSN, TBS
Game 3: Saturday, April 22, 8 p.m. at New York, ABC, ESPN+
Game 4: Monday, April 24, 7 p.m. at New York, MSGSN, ESPN
\Game 5: Thursday, April 27, time TBD, at New Jersey, MSGSN
\Game 6: Saturday, April 29, time TBD, at New York, TV TBD
\Game 7: Monday, May 1, time TBD, at New Jersey, MSGSN
\If neccessary
Purchase playoff tickets
Projected Lineups\:
Devils
Tatar - Hischier - Mercer
Palat - Hughes - Bratt
Meier - Haula - Boqvist
Wood - McLeod - Bastian
Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Graves - Marino
Bahl - Severson
Vanecek
Rangers
Kreider - Zibanejad - Kane
Panarin - Trocheck - Tarasenko
Lafreniere - Chytil - Kakko
Vesey - Goodrow - Motte
Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba
Mikkola - Schneider
Shesterkin
\Not official. Subject to change.
Injury Updates:
Devils
Bernier (Hip - IR)
Rangers
None
2022-23 Regular-Season Series Recap
The Devils and Rangers met four times during the regular season. New Jersey took the season series with a 3-0-1 mark (1-2-1 for the Rangers). New Jersey won both games at Prudential Center this season, 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 7 and 2-1 on March 30. The Devils went 1-0-1 at Madison Square Garden with a 5-3 win Nov. 28 and 4-3 overtime setback on Dec. 12.
Jack Hughes led all players in goals (4) and points (6) in the season series. Captain Nico Hischier (1g-3a) and Dawson Mercer (1g-3a) each chipped in four points while Yegor Sharangovich ranked second on the club with two goals.
K'Andre Miller paced both teams with five assists while his six led the Rangers. Chris Kreider had a team-best three goals (four points total) while Mika Zibanejad notched four points (1g-3a).
Goalies Vitek Vanecek and Igor Shesterkin went head-to-head in all four games. Vanecek finished 3-0-1 with 2.70 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. Shesterkinwas 1-2-1 with a 3.23 GAA and .907 save percentage.
Who's Hot:
NJD: Erik Haula scored two goals in the regular-season finale at Washington. He had six goals in his final seven games of the year.
NYR: Mike Zibanejad entered the playoffs with a six-game scoring streak (1g-8a) for nine points. He had eight assists in the final five games.
By the Numbers:
Devils
Set franchise records in 2022-23 with 52 wins and 112 points. The club also set an NHL record with a 49-point improvement from last season (82-game schedule).
The Devils led the NHL and set a franchise record this season with 26 comeback victories and nine multiple-goal comebacks.
The Devils have home-ice advantage to open the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10 (Philadelphia).
The Devils tied a franchise record with 28 road victories this year, going 28-9-4.
The Devils had two 40-goal scorers on the roster: Hughes, 43; Timo Meier, 40.
The Devils had four 30-goal scorers: Hughes, 43, Meier, 40; Jesper Bratt, 32; Nico Hischier, 31.
Jack Hughes set a franchise record with 99 points (43g-56a) to best Patrik Elias' 96 points in 2000-01.
Tomas Tatar finished with a plus-41, a career high that ranked 5th in the NHL.
Dougie Hamilton's 22 goals tied Barry Beck (Colorado, 1977-78) for the most in franchise history.
Goalie Vitek Vanecek set a career high with 33 wins this season, joining Martin Brodeur as the only 30-win goaltenders in franchise history.
Rangers
The Rangers were 24-9-8 on the road for 56 points. The 56 points is 2nd in franchise history while the 24 wins are tied for 5th.
New York finished the season by allowing three or less goals in 19 straight games. Its 2.63 goals against on the year ranked 4th in the NHL.
When scoring four or more goals on the year, the Rangers were 33-0-0.
New York's 271 penalties taken this season were the 3rd fewest in the NHL.
Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko have combined for 192 Stanley Cup points (Kane132, Tarasenko, 60), four Cup wins (Kane, 3, Tarasenko 1) and a Conn Smythe as playoff MVP (Kane, 2013).
Mike Zibanejad's career-high 91 points made him the third Rangers center since 1982-83 to reach the 90-point mark (Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier).
Chris Kreider's next playoff goal (would be his 35th) will let him pass Rod Gilbert for most in franchise history. He's also two points from tying Don Maloney's 57 on the points list.