The Devils took their second-straight loss following a much needed 4-1 victory against the St. Louis Blues to break a three-game losing streak. Simon Nemec made the attempt for a Devils' comeback late in the third, unfortunately, his goal ended up being the lone goal in a 3-1 loss against the New York Rangers on Monday, March 11th. Goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen made his New Jersey debut after being acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Friday, and made a total of 23 saves for the Devils.
Devils lineup against the Rangers:
Palat - Hischier - Meier
Hughes - Haula - Bratt
Tierney - Lazar - Mercer
MacDermid - Nosek - Holtz
Siegenthaler - Marino
Bahl - Smith
Hughes - Nemec
Kahkonen
Daws
Rangers lineup against the Devils:
Kreider - Zibanejad - Roslovic
Panarin - Trocheck - Lafreniere
Cuylle - Wennberg - Kakko
Vesey - Goodrow - Rempe
Miller - Schneider
Lindgren - Ruhwedel
Jones - Gustafsson
Quick
Shesterkin
It wasn't until the second period the scoring started, Mika Zibanejad gave New York a 1-0 lead at 7:35 of the middle frame. He carried the puck across the slot and around John Marino before getting a shot under Kaapo Kahkonen's blocker after it had been sent down the ice where Jack Roslovic nicked it into the zone, went into the corner on the forecheck against Jonas Siegenthaler, and Curtis Lazar grabbed the puck after it had been freed but gave it away to Chris Kreider behind the net. Kreider had found Zibanejad in front to send it into the net. Erik Gustafsson made it a two-nothing game with 52 seconds remaining in the second when he scored his sixth of the season with a wrister through traffic... Kahkonen had been screened in front by Matt Rempe, Gustafsson's shot going over his right glove.
Only 22 seconds later, Matt Rempe got a five-minute major and a game misconduct after he elbowed Jonas Siegenthaler in the chin. Siegenthaler had left the game after this hit, not making a return in the final frame, and no follow-up on him postgame.
Simon Nemec hunted down a late attempt for a Devils comeback at 2:34 of the third period to cut it 2-1. Just seconds prior, Kaapo Kahkonen had left the New Jersey net. Nemec scored his third of the season with a wrist shot he sent through traffic for a 6-on-5 goal. However, the Devils were unable to finish this comeback as it had been late and Vincent Trocheck struck the empty net for a 3-1 final.
Kaapo Kahkonen on his Devils debut playing against the Rangers: "Pretty good. I think the guys did a good job in front of me. They were really helpful throughout the whole game communicating. There are obviously a lot of things, system-wise, that are new for me but you learn as you go... I think we did a pretty good job helping each other out there."
Jesper Bratt on battling late and the power play: "This late in the season, it's hard five-on-five to score goals and obviously, you need your power play to step up in those times, especially late in the game. We just need our power play to honestly be better there. We could have made a difference for the team and we did not, so obviously it's frustrating."
Notes:
- The first three of the Devils' matchups between the New York Rangers they've lost this season. New Jersey will be heading out on a three-game road trip in the west on Wednesday.
- On February 22nd, the Devils' previous matchup with the Rangers, Mett Rempe had gotten a big hit on Nathan Bastian... sidelining the Devils since then. In this game, Kurtis MacDermid had asked Rempe to fight, but he turned it down.
- Jonathan Quick made a total of 19 saves for New York. Quick recorded his 389th NHL career win and ties Dominik Hasek for 16th all-time, moving within two of Ryan Miller for most by a U.S.-born goaltender.
- Mika Zibanejad is the fifth player in New York Rangers history to accomplish seven consecutive 20-goal seasons. He joins Jean Ratelle (eight), Rod Gilbert (seven), Vic Hadfield (seven), and Andy Bathgate (seven).
*All photos used by the New Jersey Devils used with permission*
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