New York Rangers' Artemi Panarin reacts after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils on April 17, 2021. Credit: AP/Bruce Bennett
The Rangers did what they needed to do against New Jersey, which was to take the maximum eight points from four games against a stripped-down Devils club that became the youngest team in the NHL after it sold off much of the heart and soul of the team at the trade deadline.
The Rangers certainly wouldn’t get style points for the way they won the last two games – taking big early leads, and then taking their foot off the gas and being forced to sweat late in the third period before pulling it out at the end.