New Jersey Devils

Game Preview: Devils Host the Rangers in Fifth Preseason Matchup

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2023

Game Preview: Devils Host the Rangers in Fifth Preseason Matchup

The New Jersey Devils are 5-0-0 in the preseason so far. Tonight, they’ll face the New York Rangers in their second preseason meeting. Here’s what you need to know as the Devils host the Rangers at Prudential Center on Wednesday.

Time: 7:00 PM Watch: MSG/MSGSN Listen: DEVILS HOCKEY NET

Last Game

The New York Islanders visited Newark to face the Devils on Monday. The Isles got the high-scoring affair started as Mathew Barzal scored a breakaway goal early in the first period. After the Islanders made it a 2-0 game, a shot from the point by John Marino beat Ilya Sorokin to get the Devils on the board. Jesper Bratt scored a hat-trick and added an assist to help New Jersey overcome the Islanders by the end of 60 minutes. Marino potted a second goal, and Jack Hughes added a single tally in the Devils 6-5 victory. Akira Schmid played the full 60 minutes making 15 saves on 20 shots. The Islanders pulled Sorokin after 40 minutes after making just 13 of 18 saves. Kenneth Appleby made four saves on five shots in the final frame.

Projected Devils Lines

Tyler Toffoli-Jack Hughes-Jesper Bratt

Timo Meier-Nico Hischier-Alexander Holtz

Ondrej Palat-Erik Haula-Dawson Mercer

Tomas Nosek-Michael McLeod-Curtis Lazar

Jonas Siegenthaler-Dougie Hamilton

Kevin Bahl-John Marino

Luke Hughes-Simon Nemec

Vitek Vanecek

Akira Schmid

Projected Rangers Lines

Artemi Panarin-Mika Zibanajad- Kappo Kakko

Chris Kreider-Vincent Trocheck- Blake Wheeler

Will Cuylle-Barclay Goodrow-Tyler Pitlick

Jimmy Vesey-Nick Bonino-Brennan Othmann

K’Andre Miller- Jacob Trouba

Erik Gustafsson-Adam Fox

Ryan Lindgren- Braden Schneider

Jonathan Quick

Dylan Garand

Devils/Rangers

According to the game notes via Devils PR, “The Devils and Broadway Blueshirts face-off for the second and final time this preseason. Jersey’s team won the first contest against their divisional foes on Thur., Sept. 28, by a score of 3-2 at Madison Square Garden. Netminder Akira Schmid owns a shutout streak (including playoffs/preseason) of 89:20 against the Rangers, which dates
to Game 7 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Schmid logged 29:20 TOI in the first preseason contest vs. New York and stopped all 19 shots that he faced.

Forward Tyler Toffoli opened the scoring for New Jersey in the last outing between the foes, while Jesper Bratt and Michael McLeod also inked their names into the goal column. J. Hughes led the Devils against their rivals with four goals and two helpers last season. The youngster also led all skaters from the Hudson River Rivalry with 28 shots on goal. The forward’s five career regular-season goals are tied for the second most all-time against Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin. Only Sam Reinhart and Jared McCann earned more career goals vs. Shesterkin (6).

The 2022-23 season series win vs. the Rangers marked the first time since 2017-18 (3-1-0) that the Devils earned a
regular-season series win against the Broadway Blueshirts.

Side note: Michael McLeod logged a 76.1 (35/46) total face-off% last season vs. the Rangers, which ranked first for all skaters who recorded 25, or more, total face-offs against New York in 2022-23.

Nico Hischier won 46 total face-offs (46/90, 51.1%) against the Rangers last season, which ranked second for all NHL skaters vs. New York (J. Staal, 47 face-off wins).”