Much like the New York Rangers defied the odds with their two wins earlier in the Eastern Conference final, the New Jersey Devils did the same in Game 5. After jumping out to a massive 3-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game, the Devils promptly blew that lead, and it seemed as though the Rangers were going to grab this one in heroic fashion.
But Ryan Carter's goal at the 15:36 mark of the third period would be the game-winner for New Jersey, and it came completely against the flow of play in a game that New York utterly dominated after a John Tortorella timeout calmed them down in the first period.
By the end of the evening, Henrik Lundqvist only had to make 13 saves -- 12 on Devils shots, one on a Brad Richards shot -- in the hockey game. The Rangers simply outskated the Devils all night long, and when New Jersey was able to set up in New York's zone, they couldn't get anything going thanks to the Rangers' phenomenal defensive zone coverage.
It really is a game of bounces at this time of year. The Devils got plenty of bounces early in the game, and even though the Rangers frankly deserved to win the hockey game, New Jersey got the best of them when it mattered most. Now, they're a game away from the Stanley Cup finals.
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