The New Jersey Devils were one step quicker than the New York Rangers right from the opening face-off in game four at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers knew that the Devils wouldn't go down easily, but this series has certainly taken a turn.
Game four got off to a hot start. The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils each had a 2-on-1 opportunity in the opening 15 seconds, but neither team was able to get a shot on goal.
The craziness didn't stop from that moment. In the opening three minutes, Adam Fox found Alexis Lafreniere for a phenomenal backdoor opportunity. The puck was loose in the crease for a second, but the Devils were able to clear it, spreeing Jack Hughes in all alone on a breakaway where he would juke Igor Shesterkin for the game's opening goal.
If there's one thing that we have learned so far from this series, it is that number 86 for the Devils doesn't shy away from the big moments. I asked Hughes about what makes him step his game up against the Rangers at MSG "I love playing at the Garden. Big-time players show up at the Garden, whatever sport that is. It’s not about me, but I have to bring my game and continue to play well and help the team win any way I can.”
Every time he touched the puck, the crowd was booing him relatively loudly. Just like he always is, Jack gave a very cool, calm, and collected response "I mean, you’re doing something right if they’re booing you. But it’s not like I was growing up wanting to get booed. I’m just like whatever man, I’m just playing."
The Devils were playing their game early on in the opening frame. They had about three or four odd-man rushes in the opening seven minutes, they looked like the New Jersey team we saw all year long.
It appeared that Rangers head coach, Gerard Gallant made some line changes early on, switching Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad.
The Rangers' power play struggles from game three would carry into game four, as they failed to convert on both of their attempts in the opening frame.
The Devils played their best period of hockey in the first period of game four. New York was very lucky to come out of that period only trailing by one goal.
The second period didn't get much better for the Rangers. They seemed all out of sorts and the fans actually booed the power play. The Devils had all of the bounces going in their favor, but one thing remained constant, Igor Shesterkin.
It appeared that Coach Gallant's line shifting paid off as it was Trocheck cleaning up a rebound a minute and 42 seconds into the third period, knotting the game up at one apiece. The Ranger fans exploded after having built up frustration all night.
The fun wouldn't last long for New York. The Devils took the lead back at the 8:22 mark of the final frame. The Devils did what they do best, creating offense off the rush, and finding the second wave of attack. Hischier pulled up on the boards and fed Jonas Siegenthaler creeping down the left side, his shot would beat Shesterkin post and in.
Ondrej Palat would add an empty net goal in the dying seconds of the game, putting the dagger in the Rangers and officially sending this series back to New Jersey all tied up at two.
The Devils were the much better team from the jump. They seemed to be on top of the Rangers at all times, not allowing many odd-man rushes and playing a 1-2-2 in the neutral zone. The 1-2-2 forced the Rangers to turn pucks over or get to the red line, making them play dump-and-chase hockey.
New Jersey took that game to the Rangers and they never found a solution or response. In the postgame presser, Gallant was not shy to tell us how he felt, leading with "We didn’t show up well enough to win a hockey game. Even though it was a close game, we didn’t show up well enough.”
Lack of effort had not been a worry in the first three games of this series, but Gallant continued by saying "We didn't show up. We didn't play hard enough. We didn't compete hard enough. All we did is yap at the linesmen for getting thrown out of the faceoffs so. A lot of bad things tonight."
The tables have turned in this series as it heads back to New Jersey for a pivotal game five. The road team has won all four games in this series. The good news for the Rangers is that Shesterkin has continued to show and play well. He might need to steal a game on the road as this turns into a best of three, with a possible two games being played at the Prudential Center.
For the first time in this series, there will be two days of rest. This could certainly benefit both teams. The Rangers can try some new combinations while the Devils can get some extra rest for Hughes and Hischier, the guys who play most of the game for this young squad.
We expected this series to be heated and to be very tightly played. It wasn't much of that in the first two games, but it most definitely is now.
Thursday night is going to be both electric and stressful.