Devils lose to Rangers 3-1 in new era debut

The co-coaches era started in Madison Square Garden against the rival New York Rangers for the New Jersey Devils,but it ended the same way as most games lately as Derek Stepan of the Rangers scored goals in each period in a 3-1 Rangers win.
Steve Bernier scored the Devils only goal (3) in the second period.
New Jersey will next face Pittsburgh on Monday...

Hell Raisers

1) The new coaches had just one practice before this game,so you would expect some things to still remain the same and it was.
What remained the same was being outplayed.
Nothing changed overnight,,but lets give it time...

2) Derek Stepan's three goals were very efficient .Why?
They came on three shots including his empty netter at the end of the game.

3) Stepan's best play was his first as he tipped the puck away from Travis Zajac,broke away from the pack and beat Cory Schneider for a shorthanded goal.
Schneider gambled on a pokecheck,failed and was dead meat for Stepan thereafter...

4) The best thing the Devils did all night was their only goal as Eric Gelinas made a terrific pass to a cutting Steve Bernier,who then fired the puck into the net.
So,it wasn't all bad....

5) Cory Schneider was good in net.
Not great-great would have meant not being so terrible on this first goal,but he was otherwise good.
Schneider is not at fault in any way for this loss as without him this could have been far worse.
It was Schneider evening that kept this game as close as it was....