Geoff JohnsonAfter smashing the Philadelphia Flyers in five games, the New Jersey Devils will visit their hated
neighbors, the New York Rangers, this Monday at 7:30 PM ET, in game one of the Eastern
conference finals.
The Devils didn’t have many problems with the Flyers despite entering the series as a clear
underdog. New Jersey struggled to get rid off the Florida Panthers in round one of the playoffs,
but gave an authority strike to Philadelphia in the second round.
“It was just sticking with the game plan and doing what it takes to be successful,” Devil’s coach
Peter DeBoer said. “Marty made some saves when he needed to, and we held on.”
New Jersey’s trapped game and well known defense was too much for the second best
offensive team in the NHL, and it seems as they are rolling to another championship series; the
Rangers will have something to say.
New York beat the Capitals 2-1 in game seven on Saturday, but they didn’t look any time they
left the Madison Square Garden.
“We didn’t expect the first blowout,” said Rangers forward Brad Richards, who scored the lead
to 1-0 just with 1:32. “We expected another tight game. It came down to that again. It’s just
the way this series has gone, and it didn’t change.”
“It feels good to get that win,” Rangers forward Marian Gaborik said. “You have to enjoy it for
a little bit, but Monday we start from scratch again. We need to feel good about ourselves and
get ready for the next series.”
The Rangers and Devils have split games with four wins each in their last eight games; no team
has won two games in a row in those eight matches.
