Well, it all comes down to this.
A Game 7 between two bitter rivals, win or go home.
The Devils have been through plenty this year and tomorrow night they will host the do-or-die game against the Rangers in their First Round series. It has been a series of emotions, of momentum swings as the pendulum swung back and forth with little notice. After Saturday's Game 6 loss the Devils were back at their home arena preparing for Game 7. Only a few players skated in the optional practice, but everyone was on hand for meetings as they work through their tactics for tomorrow night's winner-take-all matchup.
This group has risen to all kinds of challenges this season, often passing with flying colors. Now, they're facing their biggest one yet.
"You've got to use it as a great opportunity to be at your best," veteran Erik Haula said today, "it's a big platform, it's a big game. It's the biggest game of the season and Game 7's they're magnified always, because one team keeps going and one team goes home. I just think it's a great opportunity for everybody to show what they've got (...) You have to embrace it and you have to be ready to accept the challenge."
"You can look at we were able to deal with emotions after 0-2, when it looked like and people thought we were kind of dead and gone after those two (losses)," head coach Lindy Ruff said, "To turn it around, win three in a row, we lose a game. I look at it we won three out of four and now we've got to go out and win one game."
"We're confident in our group," Ryan Graves added, "I'm not losing sleep that I think that we're in over our heads or anything like that. We're a really good hockey team that if we play our game, we'll win."
Check out the Devils Notebook to see more commentary from the team heading into Monday's big game!
Devils and Rangers Series Comes Down to the Wire | NOTEBOOK
The Devils will host Game 7 on Monday night, the winner-take-all game between two heated rivals
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Lindy Ruff | PRACTICE RAW
Erik Haula | PRACTICE RAW
Ryan Graves | RAW
John Marino | PRACTICE RAW
Looking Ahead | DEVILS NOW