If Jonathan Quick had concerns about being ready for the New York Rangers regular season, they were likely quelled Monday night in New Jersey.
Quick, possibly the lone Rangers player in Newark expected to be on the opening-night roster, was peppered with 28 shots behind a mostly AHL-bound roster in a 3-1 preseason loss to the Devils at Prudential Center.
It was New York’s first loss in four preseason games (3-1-0). And it came against New Jersey’s JV squad, with the Devils varsity in Prague preparing for the Global Series to begin the NHL season against the Buffalo Sabres.
Anton Blidh scored the only goal for the Rangers with 1:42 remaining in regulation to avoid being shut out by Jeremy Brodeur, the son of the three-time Stanley Cup champion, Martin Brodeur.
Veteran forward Adam Erne, in Rangers camp on a PTO, picked up an assist on Blidh’s goal and also engaged in a fight with New Jersey’s Brian Halonen at the end of the second period.
New Jersey Devils 3 – New York Rangers 1
Quick was often left out to dry behind the young Rangers blue line. Odd-man rushes were galore throughout the exhibition contest, allowing the veteran to work off any remaining rust he may have had at the midway point of training camp.
Two of those odd-man rushes resulted in first period goals for New Jersey. Halonen broke in alone and beat Quick 7:17 into the contest. Just over five minutes later, it was Nathan Legare’s deke that got past the outstretched Quick to double the advantage for the home team.
Kevin Labanc, the former San Jose Sharks forward in Devils camp on a PTO, made it 3-0 at 2:02 of the second period. Labanc’s wrist shot from the top of the right circle beat Quick with the Devils on the power play.
The Rangers broke through late in the third period when Blidh buried a rebound of Brett Berard’s shot off the rush
To their credit, New York outshot the Devils 30-28 but couldn’t solve Jeremy Brodeur, son of Devils great Martin, until Blidh’s late goal. The Rangers had 15 shots in the third period after having just 15 through the game’s first 40 minutes, and were 0-for-6 on the power play.
The Rangers lineup was bare, with forward Adam Edstrom having the most realistic possibility to find his way onto the opening-night roster. That’s especially so with the news that fourth-line forward Jimmy Vesey is out for a few weeks with a lower-body injury.
On the backend, Victor Mancini and Connor Mackey played, and are likely in the running for a roster spot following Ryan Lindgren’s upper-body injury. Mancini logged a game-high 25:50 in ice time. He had two shots on goal, two hits and was a plus-one. Mackey played 20:44 and had three hits.
When these two teams meet again Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are expected to dress more NHL regulars. Igor Shesterkin, the expected starter in goal, should benefit much more so from a stronger Rangers lineup than the one Quick played behind Monday.
