The shock that the New York Rangers wanted to cause by sending forward Chris Kreider into the stands for Monday afternoon's game against the New Jersey Devils did not have the desired effect.
The Blueshirts were shut out 5-0 by their Metropolitan Division rivals.
• Also read: Sean Avery says he met with Chris Drury for head coaching job
• Also read: Lane Hutson influenced by Duncan Keith
Goaltender Jacob Markstrom received only 12 shots. He took the opportunity to sign his third shutout in 2024-2025 and his 23e in career. On Saturday, he also blocked 12 shots by the Pittsburgh Penguins for the shutout.
“I told my teammates that 12 is good. It’s within my reach, it’s perfect for me,” said the Swede at a press briefing, making members of the media laugh.
“You see the number of shots we block. [Ondrej] Palat, I don't know how many he blocked, probably the same number as my saves. It’s great work and we must continue like this,” he added.
The Devils threw themselves in front of 13 Rangers attempts. Palat led his team with three blocks.
Jack Hughes was the big offensive star of this duel. The very first player selected in the 2019 draft scored twice and provided an assist.
Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer and Stefan Noesen were the other Devils players to beat goaltender Jonathan Quick. The latter concluded his clash with 25 saves.
Due to this setback, the Rangers have lost five of their last six games.
Coming back to Kreider, the 33-year-old veteran has been involved in several trade rumors in recent weeks. He is having a season well below his usual standards, having only amassed 11 goals and one assist for 12 points in 30 games. He also only has one point in his last eight outings. Number 20 had 39 goals and 75 points last year.
The Rangers (16-17-1) are sixth in the Metropolitan Division and are five points behind a playoff spot. The New York team reached the Eastern Conference final in 2023-2024, having however been eliminated in six games against the Florida Panthers, the eventual winners of the Stanley Cup.
Related News :