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New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers Best Bet: Monday, May 1st
The Devils and Rangers are deadlocked at 3-wins apiece which means it will require a 7th game in the opening round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs to decide which team advances. There is nothing as thrilling as a Game 7 in the post-season and our resident hockey expert Ej Garr will be watching every second of this all-important match with his Rangers jersey on!
In this article:
New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers Preview
May 2, 01:07 (UK time)
I have three words! Let’s Go Rangers (Clap Clap, Clap Clap Clap)
The series shifts back to New Jersey for Game 7, although home ice hasn’t exactly been in effect throughout this opening-round matchup between the Devils and Rangers.
The Rangers plowed the Devils in the first two games of this series that started right here at the Prudential Center back on April 18. The Devils responded with two wins at Madison Square Garden to level the series but both teams earned home wins in Games 5 and 6 to bring us to Game 7 on Monday night.
The obvious wildcard in this series was the move by Lindy Ruff to bench goaltender Vitek Vanacek in favour of Akira Schmid. After the Rangers pounded Vanacek for 10 goals in the first two games, Schmid was asked to keep his team in the series and his appearance changed the entire dynamic of this series.
Schmid only surrendered two goals from his first three starts of the post-season that all led to wins as Jersey carried a 3 – 2 series lead going into Saturday night’s game at MSG.
The Rangers finally figured out how to score on Saturday, and Schmid was eventually pulled after allowing 5 goals to the Blue Shirts in a close-out game on the road. Vanacek came on for the last 2 minutes of the match and now we all have to wonder what direction Ruff will take with his netminder situation.
Schmid might have had his confidence broken on Saturday, but I find it hard to imagine that Ruff will bench him in favour of Vanacke for Game 7. Igor Shesterkin extended his streak of not allowing 3-goals or more goals in 22 straight playoff games on Saturday, and I do not doubt that we will not see Jaro Halak until the next round should New York progress past the Devils.
By the way, Mark Messier is God! Gretz is the Great One but Mark Messier is the greatest hockey player that has ever lived! I may be biased, but last I checked Mess has two more rings than #99 does, and the 1994 Rangers win changed my life because I can now die in Peace! The point of that story is that Chris Kreider scored a goal on Saturday in an elimination game, and he tied Mark Messier (16) for goals when a team’s life is on the line in the playoffs.
Mika Zibanejad finally scored his first goal of the series on Saturday as he was struggling to find the net since the playoffs began. Getting his presence back is perfect timing for a big Game 7 on the road, and I will admit that it has me jacked up for Monday night!
New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers Best Bet
Ready for it again? LET’S GO RANGERS!! (Clap Clap, Clap Clap Clap) I expect a huge road win for my Blue Shirts and you know I can handle that 2.05 value for the action.
- Selection: Rangers Moneyline
- Best odds: 2.05 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes 4/10
Odds as of 9:00 am May 1, 2023. Odds may now differ.
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