The Rangers’ game Monday night may have been against the Devils, but it was all about the Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Earning two points in a 3-1 win over a Devils team that ended their season last year and are now on the outside looking in at the playoffs is satisfying.
Though it was imperative to do so if the Rangers, now four points ahead of Carolina in the Metropolitan Division standings, wanted an opportunity to further separate themselves from the Canes in Tuesday’s contest in Raleigh, N.C.
A straightforward victory over the Devils — their third of the season — set the Rangers up to do just that.
Jonathan Quick made it happen with a 20-save performance, which allowed the 38-year-old netminder to tie Dominik Hasek for the 15th-most wins in NHL history with 389.
As a result, the Hurricanes will have to face Igor Shesterkin in goal on Tuesday as they look to keep pace with the first-place Rangers.
This particular back-to-back slate came at a critical time when teams are starting to eye playoff position.
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The Rangers have been the No. 1 team in the Metro since Oct. 24 and the Hurricanes are currently the only team within reach.
Expect Carolina to approach the game as such, and then some, when the two clubs meet for the third and final time this regular season.
The Devils continue to adjust to the departure of head coach Lindy Ruff and the promotion of assistant Travis Green, which tilted the ice in the Blueshirts’ favor.
Mika Zibanejad scored his first five-on-five goal since Dec. 23 at the 12:25 mark of the second period, when the Rangers’ No. 1 center backhanded one past Devils goalie Kaapo Kahkonen for the 1-0 lead.
The score was doubled on a shot from Erik Gustafsson at the top of the zone while Matt Rempe was screening in front.
Rempe, in his second game against the Devils, was again assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for a high-elbowed hit he threw on Jonas Siegenthaler.
To say the Rangers did everything but score in the first period would be inaccurate because, well, they did.
It just didn’t count.
Alexis Lafreniere sent a wicked backhanded pass to Artemi Panarin, who went top corner on Kahkonen for the 1-0 lead.
The Devils challenged for offside, however, which was confirmed upon a quick review and wiped the goal off the board.
The Rangers doubled the Devils in shots on goal, 12-6, in the opening frame.