Akira, Akira | 10 TAKEAWAYS

So we meet again! Just this time in the post-season… and what a whirlwind it's all been so far. I think we've felt every single emotion possible in the opening four games of this Devils/Rangers series. The highs and lows, the heartbreak and the thrills. It's had a bit of everything.
I'm thrilled we have our weekly 10 Takeaways column, presented by Ticketmaster, to delve into every week of the post-season, again trying to bring you behind the scenes when I can and share my observations. This group had worked too hard to just lay down and roll over after losing the opening two games, that much I knew. But to see the performances of Game 3 and 4, and now have the series headed back to New Jersey... I'm nervous for the stability of the roof at The Rock and fear it might get blown off by the cheers of the crowd!
Never count out a group of rebels, especially when their backs are against the wall.
On to Game 5… Someone will take that series stranglehold with a third victory.
As Timo Meier said after Game 2, 'it's go time.'
But we'll save that for next time, because Game 5 is later this week. For now, we look back on the crazy week that was as the Devils hopped into their first post-season since 2017.

2.

Yes, Patrik Elias did interrupt the media availability after Game 4, shouting his way, gleefully into the Devils locker room, elated to see the team even the series at 2.
I was talking to Ondrej Palat at the time, we stopped suddenly, and had to cut the audio, because of Patty's excited NSFW language. But I think he summed up the whole vibe pretty well.
There were some profanities, but lets just say Patty was thrilled and ended his yell with "How excited am I?! Devils Hockey!"

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3.

Akira Schmid.
It makes me think of the times in the past that we've seen either a rookie, or young goaltender swoop in during a playoff series and just run with it. The first instance I thought of was the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes series back in 2006.
The Hurricanes were already in a 0-2 hole in the opening round to the Canadiens, their regular starting goaltender Martin Gerber was struggling, so head coach Peter Laviolette made the switch calling upon Cam Ward.
That switch alone (and a high stick from Justin Williams that caught Saku Koivu in the eye) turned around the Hurricanes post-season and Ward led them to their first and only Stanley Cup victory.
Now, I'm not saying that's what is going to happen here with New Jersey. But what I can tell you is there's been plenty of evidence over the years of a young goalie stepping in and turning a series around.
Schmid certainly being the latest, regardless of what happens next.

4.

Sam Kasan also reminded me of another goaltender who came in and turned a series around - also at Madison Square Garden. Matt Murray made his playoff debut in Game 3 of the Penguins first round series against the Rangers, winning Games 3 and 4 and leading his team to the promised land in 2016.
Again, not saying the end result will be the exact same (I would hate to jinx it) but we've seen teams before make these goaltending changes and go on runs.

5.

The penalty on Igor Shesterkin that led to Jack Hughes' power play goal in Game 3 was all part of playoff awareness and experience. Speaking with Nico Hischier after Game 3 about Timo Meier drawing that penalty, Hischier expressed that's part of the smarts and awareness a player like Timo has and the composure as well.
Take the lumps, score the PP goals.
"Whoever gives the extra slash, loses the composure gets the penalty. That's playoff hockey there, and I think Timo is a well experienced playoff player, so he knew what he was doing."

6.

Speaking of Meier and playoff hockey… the 6-foot-1, 220-pound forward has 17 hits in the opening 4 games.

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7.

Don't know if you caught it on the television broadcast, but I couldn't help but notice that Jack and Luke Hughes' mom Ellen had a Devils jersey with 43 on one arm and 86 on the other. Thought that was very cute.

8.

After Game 3 when the players were walking off the ice at MSG, it was a parade of cheers and fist pumps and just pure elation. Where the players walk off the ice, is an open area where we wait to go into the locker room area, and as I'm sitting there finishing my game story, I can't help but get caught up in the emotion of Dougie Hamilton's massive OT game winner. It felt like this huge sense of relief was emanating from the guys as they headed into their locker room and also this recharged energy, the focus dialed in even more.
The team doctors were also there, giving fist bumps and clapping as the players went into the locker room. Serious wholesome stuff.

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9.

Yes, we're only four games into he series, but I'm going to delve in anyways… there was so much talk leading into this post-season about how Jack Hughes would fare, with the most physical nature of the playoff game, everyone and anyone finishing their checks, etc, how would a smaller player like Hughes be able to manage? Sure, he takes his lumps, in the sights of every Ranger player, but I would say so far, Jack has risen to every occasion. His hip-check of Chris Kreider in Game 2 is etched into my brain like the hierogliphics in Ancient Egyptian temples and tombs.
I don't think I had ever seen him do that before, and he executed it perfectly.
"He's stepping up even more. That's his competitiveness and that's why he's a superstar. He always wants to be the best." Dougie Hamilton said when I asked him about it.

10.

Lindy Ruff was asked before Game 4 if Nico Hischier ever gets mad. What can he be like behind closed doors when the cameras are away, when it's just the team.
"Yes, he gets mad," Ruff said. "I've seen him mad. It isn't a lot and not getting mad doesn't mean you don't care, but I think when a guy like Nico gets mad, the boys go, 'Holy !@#$.'"
Nico, it would seem, does everything with intension.
Even getting mad.