Recap: New Jersey vs. NY Rangers
Sports Network | October 5, 2009
Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Matt Gilroy's first career goal helped the New York Rangers take a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.
Michael Del Zotto and Ales Kotalik each had a goal and an assist while Vinny Prospal had two helpers for the Rangers, who have won two straight after dropping their season-opener in Pittsburgh. Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves for the win.
"We're learning more and more every day," said Gilroy. "We're learning the system. You try to be as aggressive as you can and it's working out for us right now. We didn't come out ready to start and coach (John Tortorella) let us know about it."
Rob Niedermayer and Travis Zajac each lit the lamp for the Devils, who have dropped both of their games on the young season. Martin Brodeur gave up three goals on 26 shots in the loss.
"It's not fun starting out 0-2," said Brodeur. "It's all about confidence. You want to get that first win under your belt as soon as possible. I thought we played a lot better today, but we'll get it going."
The Devils took a 1-0 lead just 1:10 into the contest as Jay Pandolfo won a fight for the puck along the right boards and sent it to Niedermayer, who wristed it over the glove of Lundqvist for his first goal in a New Jersey uniform.
The Rangers responded on the power play five minutes later, as a one-timer from the right circle went off of traffic in front and bounced to the left circle, where Del Zotto slammed it into the open net.
The Devils notched a power-play goal of their own at the 10:52 mark. Jamie Langenbrunner kept in a clearing attempt at the left point and dished it down low for Zach Parise. From the left circle, Parise fed a pass down to the left side of the net for David Clarkson, who sent a no-look pass to the right side and Zajac flicked it into the open net.
However, New York tied the game with 3:37 to play in the first. Skating on the power play, a right circle faceoff win saw Del Zotto wind up with the puck at the right point. He slid it to the high slot for Kotalik, who one-timed it past Brodeur on the short side.
The second period nearly passed by without a goal, but with 2:10 to play the Rangers took a 3-2 lead.
With the puck in the zone, Marian Gaborik sent a pass from the left circle to the right and Gilroy blasted a low shot between the pads of Brodeur with traffic around the net.
Lundqvist stopped all 12 shots he faced in the frame.
The Devils had 26 seconds of a 5-on-3 power play early in the third, but the Rangers penalty killing and Lundqvist kept the puck out of the net.
New Jersey had its chances over the final 20 minutes, but Lundqvist came up with six saves in the period to hold on for the win.
Each team won three times in the series last season...New York plays in Washington on Thursday...The Devils play their first road game of the season on Thursday as they start a three-game road trip in Tampa Bay...New York went 2-for-6 on the power play while New Jersey went 1-for-6.
