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Discuss: Rangers avoid eighth seed in 4-0 win over Devils

Rick Nash

The New York Rangers dominated Saturday’s match against the New Jersey Devils from start to finish and were rewarded with a comfortable 4-0 victory.

With this win, the Rangers have avoided a first round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They could finish as high as sixth place, but the Ottawa Senators can push them down to the seventh seed if they get three points in their final two contests.

Here are the talking points:


  • Rick Nash scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season this afternoon. He pretty much lived up to expectations in his first regular season with the Rangers, but how will he do in the playoffs? Nash has a goal and three points in four career postseason contests. He also has never won a playoff game.
  • The Rangers won 10 of their final 13 matches. Can they carry that momentum into the postseason?
  • New Jersey will finish the season with one of the worst records in the league when it comes to goals per game. They were without Ilya Kovalchuk for 11 contests, but the loss of Zach Parise to the Minnesota Wild was certainly felt.
  • Martin Brodeur will turn 41 in May and Johan Hedberg will celebrate his 40th birthday. They’re both signed through 2013-14, but can the Devils stay competitive with that tandem? It’s not just about how they’ll preform, it’s a question of if they can stay healthy over the course of an 82-game season.
  • Henrik Lundqvist ended up starting in 43 of the Rangers’ 48 games. That might end up being on par with Antti Niemi, but it’s more playing time than Sergei Bobrovsky, Corey Crawford, or Tuukka Rask will receive. Could that push Lundqvist over the edge in his quest for a second straight Vezina Trophy?