Here are some observations from the game:
• The Devils-Rangers contest was a physical affair almost from the opening puck drop. But the intensity exploded when New York’s Matt Rempe threw a big hit with his 6-foot-7, 241-pound frame into Nathan Bastian, who sported a bloody nose and was knocked out of the first period (he did return). Rempe was assessed a five-minute match penalty on the hit for leading with an elbow to the head. But the hits kept coming from New York as the Rangers punished the Devils every time they touched the puck. New York won most of the puck battles and played with a fierceness that the Devils didn’t match.
I haven’t taken a real hard look at the hit yet. I will when I go through the game," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "I saw it on the monitor. I didn’t like the hit. It’s something the league will take a look at too. But that’s out of my hands. That’s something that they’ll deal with.”
"Rivalry game. They were very physical. We weren't good enough," Luke Hughes said. "That's kind of it. We have to limit the mistakes. That's basically it."
• It isn’t often that a turning point in a game comes in the opening seven minutes. But the Devils had a five-minute major power play (Rempe) and failed to score. They recorded five shots and had a couple good looks. But with a five-minute power play, you have to make the Rangers pay. And the Devils failed to do so. It was a lost opportunity. And it resulted in a lost game.
• The power play has been a drag on the team for the latter half of the season. The Devils were 0 for 5 against the Rangers. Since Dec. 5, the Devils’ power play has gone 10 for 96. A few more power-play goals in the past two-plus months could have helped the Devils earn a few extra points in the standings, and it could be the difference in the playoff hunt.
"We have to score on so many opportunities on the power play," captain Nico Hischier said. We weren't sharp enough. The power play was better but we couldn't find the back of the net. We'll work on it. We'll flush it and move on."
• Kudos to Bastian in this one. First, he got hit hard by Rempe on an illegal check to the head. He was knocked out of the game but returned, bloody nose and all. Then, in his return shift to the ice Bastian was leveled by Jacob Trouba. Bastian responded by grabbing Trouba and the two fought to the ice. Gutsy effort by Bastian to return and love seeing his fire and sticking up for himself against Trouba. Bastian did leave the game again later due to an injury unrelated to the Rempe hit.
• The Devils committed a few errors that the Rangers managed to take advantage of. A failed clear on the power play led to Zibanejad’s opening goal. Then a turnover by Luke Hughes in the corner found Lafreniere’s stick for another goal. New York caught the Devils in a line change to create a 2-on-1 to make it 3-0 (Kreider). And another lost puck led to Lafreniere splitting the D for his second goal of the game.
