NFL
By Jesse Rosales
As hockey fans, we are truly lucky to get the Devils vs Rangers in this matchup. Everyone knew that whichever 2 teams ended the season as #2 and #3 in the Metro Division were going to likely create the most compelling series in the first round of the playoffs. 2 great and well-balanced teams, 1 great rivalry, with everything on the line. What else can you ask for? This is the one series where you can ask 100 people their opinions and you’ll get 50% one way and 50% the other. One thing is for certain though…. travel expenses will be minimal as these teams play about 15 miles apart from each other across the Hudson River.
Let’s see how we got here and what makes this matchup so even.
New Jersey Devils Season Review
Anyone who says they expected the New Jersey Devils to be here in this position at the beginning of the season is LYING. Even Devil fans didn’t expect this.
This team is full of young and high-potential talent, there was never any question about that, but they were supposed to be another season or two away from really being in a position to compete. Not only did they put themselves in a position to compete, but they finished the regular season with the 3rd best record in the Eastern Conference. Led by up-and-coming superstar Jack Hughes and his 99 (yes, ouch that he couldn’t hit 100) points, the Devils got out to a blazing hot 19-4 start to the season. They cooled off a bit down the home stretch but still managed to go 5-2-3 in their last 10 games to secure the second spot in the Metro Division.
Goaltending has been an up-and-down story all season. At times, Vitek Vanacek has looked like a clear-cut shutdown type of goalie. While at other points, looked uneasy and even a bit rattled. For example in the month of March, Vanacek went 5-4 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. Those numbers aren’t going to get it down in the playoffs, especially in a 7 game series going against an elite-level pro like Igor Shesterkin who has more experience than Vanacek and arguably way more talent.
New York Rangers Season Review
The Rangers came in with some of the highest expectations of any team to win the Stanely Cup. They were one of the top 4 teams favored by Vegas in the preseason future odds market. They got off to a slow start though going 3-5 to start the season. Igor Shesterkin didn’t look like himself and the team was just not firing on all cylinders and it was obvious. They battled through that period though and found themselves battling for the division crown with Carolina, which was expected, and also with a young and hungry Devils team, which was not expected.
The Rangers had great production from their offensive weapons. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanaejad each had over 90 points. Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider had strong showings and Adam Fox continued to be an effective 2-way defenseman and would be in the running for a second Norris Award, had it not been for the season that Shark’s defenseman Erik Karlsson had. Then to add to that, GM Chris Drury was probably the most active GM at the trade deadline acquiring forwards Vladimir Tarasenko, Tyler Motte, and Patrick Kane to bolster this already very impressive roster. I would argue the Rangers have the strongest top 3 lines overall in the NHL.
Despite his unusual sub-par start to the season, Igor Shesterkin has looked great in the last 2 months of the season. In March, he played 11 games going 8-3 with a 2.08 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. In April with a smaller sample size, he did even better going 3-0 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. Definitely, the direction you want to be headed in to start the playoffs. The Rangers finished the season with 107 points.
Stanley Cup Playoff Rd 1 Prediction
As mentioned, this series is really a toss-up. Would it surprise me if either team won this series? Absolutely not. Would it surprise me if either team went onto the Conference Finals? Absolutely not. I love so many things about both of these teams. When my head is saying “Flip a coin”, then I default to my heart. The Rangers were one of the 3 teams I picked at the beginning of the season to compete for the Stanley Cup this year, they have one the most recognizable and best-looking jerseys in the league, and Igor Shesterkin is one of my personal favorite goalies.
I do give a slight nod to the Rangers as well on the experience side which may actually count for something in this series…. but then again maybe not. I’m taking the New York Rangers in 7 games because that is what I’m hoping for as a hockey fan.
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