The NY Rangers and the NJ Devils kick off their first round series tonight in Newark, as the Battle of the Hudson is renewed for the first time in a decade. These teams will likely be meeting in the playoffs for years to come, and as scary as it sounds, this year’s version of the Devils may be the weakest we see in the coming years. The Rangers need a short series win, and there are 3 primary keys to the Rangers beating the Devils in a short series.
Before we begin, I am not taking the easy way out and listing Igor Shesterkin as one of the keys.