Did any of you expect anything different in the first-round series between the Devils and Rangers? What would this series be without Game 7?
Watching those two teams play against each other in their history, no one would expect anything less. It’s fitting both teams play each other Monday night at Prudential Center for the right to advance and play the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round that starts Wednesday night at Raleigh. It’s the way it should be.
If anyone was riveted despite having no preferred outcome in the Game 7 matchups between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins followed by defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche and second-year Seattle Kraken, imagine how tense a Devils fan or Rangers fan is going to be when their teams play Game 7, which is the last first-round series remaining.
The Rangers owned bragging rights over the Devils by winning their series against them in 1992, 1994, 1997 and 2008, while the Devils owned bragging rights over the Rangers in 2006 and 2012.
This means so much more for the Devils fans than the Rangers fans. Devils fans have always been insecure about the Rangers and for good reason. The Rangers overshadowed their team’s success, and their arrogant fans let Devils fans know about it all the time.
I was waiting at Newark Penn Station for a train headed to New York Penn Station when the Rangers embarrassed the Devils in Game 2 with the score of 5-1. The Rangers fans there acted so obnoxiously towards the Devils fans by saying this series was over and making fun of the Devils. I am not a fan of either team (I am an Islanders fan.) but I felt bad for the Devils fans, who were just minding their own business.
It’s understandable why Devils fans want Monday night’s game so badly. This is a chance for them to strut their stuff in front of Rangers fans.
The Rangers are more concerned about getting to the Stanley Cup Final and winning it for the first time since 1994. After 29 years, Rangers fans have become antsy. A loss to the Devils in the first round would make them cranky.
That’s the beauty of this year’s Game 7. It might as well be the ultimate bragging right. Even if the Devils win and improve their historical playoff series record against the Rangers lead to 3-4, this means more because it would validate the Devils’ regular season and continue this franchise’s rise. Meanwhile, it would raise questions about whether or not this Rangers' roster will ever win the Stanley Cup.
So much has happened in this series. We saw the Devils grow up after taking their beatings in Games 1 and 2. We saw Devils goaltender Akira Schmid become a revelation, putting on a Martin Brodeur impersonation in Games 3, 4 and 5. We saw the Rangers show their resilience in Game 6. We saw Jack Hughes score two goals and garner three points in this series. We saw Vladimir Tarasenko display his savvy veteran playoff experience for the Rangers, which was why they acquired him from the St. Louis Blues this season. We saw Chris Kreider show his force for the Rangers.
It sure seems like a while since this series started. It’s a shame this has to end. This could go on for another seven games, even if the players have been exhausted from logging so much ice time.
If there is a playoff series that is worthy of a handshake, it’s this one. Both teams showed their playoff intangibles in this series.
Whoever wins this series has a good chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Watching the Carolina Hurricanes against the Islanders in the first round, they weren’t that impressive, especially their defense and goaltending. One can make a case the Islanders should have won the series or at least taken it to Game 7. The Hurricanes also lost three important players to injuries with Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty out prior to the playoffs and Teuvo Teravainen being injured after breaking his left hand in Game 2 of the Hurricanes’ playoff series against the Islanders. They don’t have much firepower to keep up with the Rangers or Devils.
Game 7 is always a legacy-defining game, whether it’s the NBA, MLB or NHL. It’s like that one-game playoff you see in college basketball or the NFL. Heroes and goats will always be remembered forever.
For the Devils, Hughes and Schmid can be players in Devils’ folklore. Hughes can be up there with the Devils’ greats if he plays great and leads them to a win. For Schmid, a strong performance will continue his ascent. Maybe Ondrej Palat will continue to make his name in postseason lore. It’s about time Nico Hischier did something, right?
For the Rangers, Vladimir Tarasenko or Patrick Kane could be the next Mark Messier if they star in Game 7. Kreider can continue his postseason heroics and be right up there with the Rangers' past heroes. Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant could be coaching for his job after the team had high expectations of winning the Stanley Cup. Maybe the 2020 Rangers’ overall No. 1 draft pick Alexis Lafreniere or 2019 overall No. 2 draft pick Kaapo Kakko (the consolation prize to losing out on Hughes to the Devils in the NHL Draft lottery) can finally have that Ranger moment.
There’s so much at stake that goes beyond the fans, too. Players and coaches worked hard all offseason and regular season for a chance to get this moment.
The Rangers and Devils clearly don’t want to have the feeling the 65-win Bruins experienced by losing Game Seven to the upstart No. 8 seed Florida Panthers after setting a new NHL record for most points and most wins in a season.
This one will be remembered forever, just like any other playoff series between the metropolitan area hockey teams.
This might as well be for all the marbles, as in winning a championship.
You can read Leslie's Jersey Sporting News columns on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays
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