The New Jersey Devils lost their early momentum in Game 6 against the New York Rangers due to a parade of penalties. The Rangers went on to win 5-2, tying the Eastern Conference first-round series and forcing a Game 7. Head coach Lindy Ruff blamed the penalties for taking his team’s best players off the ice and forcing them to spend too much time on the bench, which hurt their chances of winning the game.
Devils’ Discipline in Question
The Devils entered Game 6 with a chance to eliminate the Rangers, thanks in part to their disciplined play in the earlier games of the series. However, in Game 6, they took too many penalties, particularly in the offensive zone. The team received four minor penalties in the first 23:20 of the game, which led to a power-play goal by the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, tying the score at 1-1 in the first period.
Rangers’ Desperate Hockey Earns Win
The Rangers played desperate hockey throughout Game 6, making changes to their lineup and battling hard to score goals. Head coach Gerard Gallant emphasized the need to get hungry in the offensive zone, and his players responded by competing hard and getting to the blue paint. The changes, including moving Vladimir Tarasenko up to play with Mika Zibanejad and Kreider, paid off for the Rangers, who earned their first power-play goal since Game 2.
Game 7: Another Chance for Redemption
With Game 7 set for Monday night at Prudential Center, the Rangers have another chance to rally from a 3-2 deficit and win the series, just as they did in the first two rounds of the 2022 Eastern Conference playoffs. Gallant said his players learned from those comeback wins and have the character and pride to redeem themselves after getting outplayed in the last three games. Meanwhile, the Devils have another chance to put their archrivals away and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
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