Devils Invade MSG for First Time This Season | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (34-31-2) at NEW YORK RANGERS (28-31-8)

New Jersey will play in Madison Square Garden against its Hudson River Rival New York Rangers for the first time this season. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. ET. 

Read below for your game preview presented by Ott, Shore & Co. and check back for the pre-game story.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils held a morning skate at Prudential Center before traveling to New York to face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

All expected players were on the ice for the session.

HOME EXTENSION

The Devils just finished a seven-game homestand. And with the team playing the Rangers, the club always holds their morning skate at Prudential Center. So, as far as routine is concerned, it feels like this is seven-and-a-half game homestand.

“We’ll play a road game tonight, but it’s sleeping in your own bed and coming to our facility in the morning, it’s very much a home routine so we consider this part of the homestand,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We haven’t left the city.”

The Devils went 5-2-0 on that homestand, which includes a 6-3 win against the Rangers. They’re looking to go 6-2-0 on this “extended” homestand.

“We haven’t been at home for this long of a time and even this one you consider another one, sticking around here,” forward Dawson Mercer said. “I think we’ve played good. When you get on a roll like that you want to keep on going with it.”

RIVALRY GAME

The Devils make their first trip to Madison Square Garden, and it didn’t come until the end of March.

“It’s been a while, but it’s always one you’re excited for. It’s a good rink,” Mercer said. “It’s nice with the rivalry and we’re pretty close to home. So, it’s a good feeling just to head over there. And we usually have a pretty good game against those guys.”

“It’s a little late,” defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler said. “We look at it as a little series. We won the first one and we want to sweep them.”

THE SCOOP

The Devils have won six of their last eight games, and the biggest factor in their success has been an offensive explosion. They’ve scored 31 games in those contests (3.88 goals per game).

New Jersey completed a seven-game homestand that saw the club go 5-2-0 with some dramatic victories against Toronto, NY Rangers, Los Angeles and Boston. Now the Devils hit the road for a five-game road trip, starting at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

The Rangers have struggled all season long, and currently have the worst record in the Eastern Conference. But the team has had some surprising success of late. They’ve gone 5-2-0 in their last seven contests, with wins against Minnesota, Philadelphia and Toronto.

The Rangers will be at MSG a lot over the next three weeks, with 11 of 13 games at home, including their own seven-game homestand.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Jack Hughes picked up his 400th career NHL point against Boston, and became the fastest player in franchise history to reach the mark, doing so in 414 games. Hughes now has 10 points (5g-5a) in his last five games, and 15 (5g-10a) in 10 games since returning from the Olympic break.

Rangers: Alexis Lafreniere has gone pointless in his last two games. But prior to that, he had five goals and seven points in a three-game stretch. And overall, he has 15 points (11g-4a) in his past 12 contests, including a hat trick.  

INJURIES

Devils:
Pesce (lower-body)
Noesen (knee)
MacEwen (upper-body)

Rangers:
Rempe (upper-body)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• March 7 vs. NY Rangers, W 6-3 
• March 16 at NY Rangers
• March 31 at NY Rangers

GAME NOTES

• The Devils and Rangers meet for the second time this season, and first at MSG. 
• The Devils picked up a 6-3 victory in the previous meeting in New Jersey on March 7. 
• Jack Hughes posted a hat trick and four points in the previous meeting this season. He has 19 goals and 32 points in 24 games against New York.