Devils Shutout Rangers, Win Series

      Michael McLeod scored with the New Jersey Devils down a man in the second period for the game's first goal. That goal held up as Akira Schmid would not allow a goal against thirty-one New York Ranger shots as the New Jersey Devils won game seven of the Eastern Conference series 4-0 to earn the right to move to the next round of the NHL playoffs.

Tomas Tatar would score later in the second period to give the Devils a 2-0 lead with Erik Houla and Jesper Bratt (Empty Net)  finishing the scoring in the final period.

The Devils will play the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of the Eastern semis on Wednesday in Raleigh.

Hell Raisers

1) Michael McLeod scored the first goal with a backhander that seemed like it took minutes to complete before the puck fluttered by Igor Shesterkin but the play was made by the persistent hounding of the puck in the Ranger zone by Ondrej Palat.

2) Palat simply would not allow the puck carrier Adam Fox and Chris Kreider to move the puck out of the zone or to any potential help from their teammates, then after taking the puck for himself, Palat then slid the puck around a diving Ranger to McLeod for the goal.

That's called a hustle play and when I wondered about the Devils signing Palat in free agency, the one reason that stood out for me was the playoff production that Palat provided in Tampa Bay.

Once again, Palat performs in the biggest games.

3) Akira Schmid was brilliant in goal and the first-period work by the Switzerland native was key in the victory as Schmid stopped several excellent chances during three Ranger power plays.

4) Give credit to Lindy Ruff for this win as well.

It would have been very easy for Ruff to move away from Akira Schmid and back to veteran Vitek Vanicek after game six and I don't think many would have given Ruff grief, had he made that decision.

Instead, Ruff decided to stay with who he considered the hot hand in Schmid and was rewarded with a stellar game from his young goalie.

5) Whether it was effort or simply younger and fresher legs, even after a scoreless first period, you had the sense that the Devils were going to be the superior team on this night.

I'm not saying the Rangers didn't try or didn't want the win but the Devils seemed to need it and were ready to take it from the first drop of the puck/

6) That doesn't mean the Devils were flawless, especially in the first period when they committed three penalties, all of which seemed to come from a team that perhaps was a little too overcaffeinated with two trips and a Kevin Bahl delay of game.

Remember for many of these players in these playoffs, there are going to be many firsts.

Experience comes at a cost, New Jersey was fortunate not to pay one in this game.

7) Timo Meier was sent from the game by a thunderous hit by Jacob Trouba.

Meier was able to return to the bench but not the game, considering the score at that time, a return wasn't worth the risk.

No penalty was called for Trouba's hit and I'm not complaining about it being a dirty hit, although it was borderline and seemed over the line at the time.

8) Now it's onto Carolina and another team from Devils' playoff past.

The two teams were separated by a mere point over the course of the regular season and that point gives Carolina home ice.

Hopefully, that will not make the difference