Game 7 a well-known spot for Rangers, new to Devils

Game 7 is nothing new to the New York Rangers.

“It seems like we play in a lot of them, unfortunately,” veteran ahead Chris Kreider mentioned.

This time, they’re blissful about it and in a well-known spot towards an opponent that doesn’t have the identical expertise. After successful at dwelling to keep away from elimination, the Rangers go to the rival New Jersey Devils in Game 7 on Monday night time to wrap up the primary spherical and resolve who’ll tackle the Carolina Hurricanes.

“It’s a lot of stress and a lot of pressure, but also it’s one game,” Rangers winger and 2019 Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko mentioned. “Either you win and advance or you don’t.”

New York is in a seventh and deciding sport for the third time in 4 sequence. New Jersey has 12 gamers — greater than half the lineup — who’ve by no means performed in a Game 7 within the NHL.

“What a game to be in: Where would you rather be?” mentioned Devils coach Lindy Ruff, who’s 0-4 behind the bench in a Game 7 at this stage. “It’s something that if you’re a little kid growing up, you’re going to sit there and go, ‘Man, I’d love to play in that game.’ We worked hard all year to get to this point.”

Game 7 is occurring throughout the Hudson River in Newark as a result of the Devils completed 5 factors forward of the Rangers within the standings. But it might not matter the place, contemplating the Rangers gained the primary two video games on the highway and misplaced two of three at dwelling.

Yes, it’s been a bizarre sequence.

“Every given night, any team can win,” Devils ahead Dawson Mercer mentioned. “They got the first two, then we got the next three. We’re going to be ready for the next game.”

It’s the third Game 7 already this playoffs after Panthers-Bruins and Kraken-Avalanche video games Sunday night time. It’s additionally the fiftieth sport, making this the fourth-longest spherical in league historical past.

The Rangers and Devils are dealing with off in a Game 7 for the third time, however the earlier two have been in 1992 and 1994. Just eight of the 40 gamers anticipated to be in uniform have been alive then, and maybe solely Patrick Kane (born in 1988) remembers both sequence gained by New York.

So, that is a wholly completely different chapter. Devils ahead Tomas Tatar, one of many gamers with Game 7 expertise, thinks he and his teammates can be OK as soon as they transfer previous shedding of their first probability to maneuver on.

“If we stick with our plan and play our way, well be fine,” Tatar mentioned. “It’s going to be a tough game. We knew coming into this series it was going to be a tough series. We need to stay calm, take a deep breath.”

Once they exhale, they’ll both have regular-season No. 1 goaltender Vitek Vanecek or playoff shock Akira Schmid in internet for Game 7. Vanecek misplaced Games 1 and a couple of and Schmid stopped 80 of 82 photographs in his first NHL playoff motion earlier than getting the hook Saturday night time.

“We’ll have a discussion like we usually do with the coaches,” Ruff mentioned.

There’s little question the Rangers can have reigning Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin in his regular spot – within the crease in a Game 7, which the entire staff has change into aware of.