Devils Drop Game 1 to Rangers, 5-1 | GAME STORY

Call it first-time jitters, or first-time nerves, in Game 1 of the First Round series, the Devils have likely learned what type of different beast the playoffs can be.
Against the Rangers, the first meeting of the post-season between these two rivals since 2012, the more experienced Rangers applied the pressure early and took advantage of their opportunities, building a 2-0 lead over the Devils after 20 minutes of play, and 3-0 after 40.
"I think there's always jitters, it's just how you handle them," veteran Erik Haula said, "I think we learned a bit of a lesson, I think we're going to be fine going forward."
There was difficulty in all areas of the game for New Jersey going 0-for-4 on the power play, while the penalty killers gave up two goals on three Rangers power plays. The Rangers nearly doubled the number of blocked shots and had 10 fewer giveaways (3) than the Devils (13).
"You've got to give them credit, they blocked a lot of shots," head coach Lindy Ruff said post-game, "They were better in the shot lanes than we were. That's what our guys have to understand now, every shot on net is an important shot now."
"Obviously not the way we wanted to start," captain Nico Hischier added, "but it's one game, we've got a game on Thursday to tie this up. We've got to focus on that right now."
Jack Hughes had the Devils lone goal of the game, a penalty-shot goal with 2:46 to play to prevent being shut out.
The Rangers got goals from Vladimir Tarasenko, and Ryan Lindgren, and two for Chris Kreider.
New York takes the first game of the First Round, 5-1, with plenty of hockey still left to be played in the best-of-seven series.
"You gotta be at your best, I don't believe we were at our best today," Haula continued, "You can look at the reasons, they are what they are. We lose the first one at home and pretty quick here we're already focused on Game 2 and we've got to win that one."
The two teams meet again for Game 2 on Thursday at Prudential Center.

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Game 2 of the First Round series between the Devils and Rangers is Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. You can watch on MSGSN, MSG, TBS and you can listen on the Devils Hockey Network!
Here are some observations from the game...
- The Devils had six players tonight make their playoff debuts: Jack Hughes, Dawson Mercer, Jesper Boqvist, Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian and Kevin Bahl.

"I think the good thing is everyone now has a game under their belt," head coach Lindy Ruff said post-game after the loss. - Decisions have to be made when you've got a fully healthy roster and that means having to sit certain players. Tonight against the Rangers, Brendan Smith, Luke Hughes, Curtis Lazar and Yegor Sharangovich were held out and did not dress for the game. - The Devils had ample opportunity on their power play opportunities. Through two periods they had four power play opportunities but had zero shots registered with the man advantage.

"We've just got to put more pucks on net," Hischier said, curtly, aware that the power play struggled tonight.

"We have to funnel pucks," Ruff said post-game. "If you look at their power play goals, a shot gone wide that ends up hitting Kreider, that goes in (...) if personnel is in the shot lane, we have to do a better job of getting off the net and being ready to shot pass, redirect, those types of opportunities."

"In the first 10 minutes when you get two power plays and we don't execute, I thought we had the jitters," Ruff continued, "We didn't handle the puck well. We had three or four shot attempts where we missed the net by a large margin, shots I feel we could have gotten on net." - It was evident this inexperienced playoff group had a bit of nerves or jitters to start the game. It's been a long-awaited moment with plenty on the line. The first period was dominated by the Rangers, who outscored the Devils 2-0.

The Devils did not look like the team we have become so familiar with this season. The Rangers clogged up the center of the ice, giving very little space for the crafty Devils to work with. - It took until 8:14 into the first period for the Devils to register their first shot on net, a slap shot by Tomas Tatar and stopped by Igor Shesterkin. - On Monday, Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant had a quote where he said: "I don't think Jack Hughes is going to finish our guys, or us running over Jack Hughes."

Turns out, he wasn't entirely right... Jack Hughes laid the body on Chris Kreider toward the end of the first period, to prevent Kreider from a shorthanded breakaway. It was rather unexpected, but Hughes rubbed Kreider out along the boards to prevent the Rangers' opportunity, to which the crowd responded with applause. - Vitek Vanecek looked far more settled into his net and the game after the first period. - After two periods of play Nico Hischier led the Devils in time on ice (15:46) and shots on goal with five of New Jersey's 15 shots. - The Rangers had a goal taken off the board at 16:08 of the second period when Alexis Lafrenière used a high stick to redirect a puck past Vitek Vanecek. The goal was reviewed and taken off the board. - Chris Kreider had the Rangers second goal, becoming the all-time goal-scoring leader in Rangers history with his 35th playoff goal. - In what may not have been altogether surprising, given his ability this season to come off the bench cold, it was Akira Schmid who backed up Vitek Vanecek in Game 1. Schmid, on several occasions this season, including the season finale against the Capitals, has come off the bench in relief and shut the door on his opponents.