Rangers vs. Devils: 3 things to watch for in latest must-win game, seeking elusive 3rd straight victory

Since their previous three-game winning streak way back in mid-November, the New York Rangers failed seven other times in their attempts at a third straight victory.

With the games dwindling and a difficult schedule for the final two weeks, the Rangers face another pivotal game Saturday afternoon when they visit the New Jersey Devils, who would like nothing more than to make their rival’s path to the postseason slightly murkier.

New York last won three straight Nov. 14-19 as part of its deceiving 12-4-1 start that preceded the infamous 4-15-0 skid. The Rangers (36-32-7, 79 points) are 0-3-4 in their past seven attempts at a three-game winning streak with six of those defeats coming by one goal.

The Rangers are hoping to build off the momentum from finding a way to earn a dramatic 5-4 overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. Vincent Trocheck scored the game-winner off a pass from Artemi Panarin 24 seconds into overtime and both players are trending positively of late.

Trocheck has five goals in his past 10 games and scored in consecutive games for the sixth time this season, though the Rangers hope to see him avoid the two turnovers he made Wednesday that wound up in the back of their own net. Panarin has 11 goals and 23 points over his past 16 games after getting a breakaway goal and two assists, including the pass for Trocheck’s game-winner.

Their play along with an ability to clean up defensively or work around mistakes is imperative given the situation they’re in.

The Rangers and Montreal Canadiens both have seven games remaining and New York is two points behind Montreal for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. New York also faces two home games against the Tampa Bay Lightning along with visits to the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers.

While the Canadiens make visits to the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, they also face the Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks the rest of the way.

New Jersey (40-29-7, 87 points) outscored the Rangers 10-1 in a pair of blowouts in December. The Rangers earned a 3-2 home win on Jan. 9 when Sam Carrick scored the game-winner in overtime.

The major difference between those games and Saturday is that the Devils are without injured stars Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton. Hughes is out for the season following shoulder surgery and the Devils have been much more vulnerable without him in the lineup

New Jersey is playing better of late by winning three of four after a 4-6-1 stretch in its previous 11 games. The Devils are coming off a sweep of a home-and-home set with the Wild and are attempting to further dent the Rangers hopes after four days off.

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit the Devils

1.  Gabe Perreault’s second look

Gabe Perreault will play his second game after the 19-year-old made his NHL debut Wednesday and impressed, playing 13+ minutes on a line with J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreniere. Three of those minutes were on the power play, with coach Peter Laviolette giving Perreault a long leash just a few days after he played his final NCAA game.

Perreault didn’t disappoint, recording three shots on goal, including one in the final seconds of regulation, and setting up Jonny Brodzinski for a prime scoring chance on the power play earlier in the game.

Perreault’s arrival from Boston College in some ways draws some comparisons to Chris Kreider’s debut in 2012 but is different, too. Kreider debuted on a roster trying to finish with the top seed in the East, and Perreault’s arrival comes with the Rangers fighting to make the playoffs, and represents somewhat of a changing of the guard to find the next group of younger core players.

2. Capitalize on key absences

In the first three meetings, Jack Hughes dominated by scoring five goals for the Devils. He scored four of New Jersey’s 10 goals in the two-game December domination. But he won’t be out there to terrorize the Rangers on Saturday.

Hamilton had one goal and three assists in the first three meetings due to a blistering shot and slick passing ability, but he has been out since March 4 due to a season-ending lower-body injury.

Jack’s younger brother, Luke, has stepped up on the Devils blue line in Hamilton’s absence. And New Jersey captain Nico Hischier (34 goals) and Jesper Bratt (86 points) have raised their play even more since Jack Hughes was injured. But this isn’t the same imposing lineup the Rangers faced three times earlier in the season.

3. Succeed on special teams

It seems like this point gets mentioned often, but the Rangers are in a dreadful skid with the man advantage.

New York owns the 27th-ranked power play (17.4 percent) due to a 3-for-50 skid over its past 18 games and 1-for-26 in its past nine. The Rangers were 0-for-4 on the power play Wednesday and were only able to muster five shots on goal, even with a brief two-man advantage factored in.

The Rangers also must avoid constantly parading to the penalty box since the Devils are among the best in the League on the power play.  The Devils are fourth in the NHL at 28.4 percent and their 16 games with multiple power-play goals are second in the League.

Even without Hughes and Hamilton, New Jersey’s power play remains effective, 10-for-37 in the past 14 games, including 5-for-13 in the past six. The Devils were held to one shot on goal during two power plays on Monday and those are the kind of results the Rangers need to replicate.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Othmann

Perreault – J.T. Miller – Lafreniere

Cuylle-Zibanejad-Brodzinski

Kreider – Carrick –Berard

Soucy – Fox

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanainen – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Devils: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers at. New Jersey Devils

When: Saturday, April 5 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Where: Prudential Center