Devils improve to 4-1-0 with win over Rangers
NEW YORK -- Miles Wood, Adam Henrique and Drew Stafford each scored a goal and the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
After the Devils (4-1-0) lost their first game of the season on Friday to the Washington Capitals, New Jersey rebounded and moved back into first place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Devils got off to a slow start against the Rangers (1-5-0), who outshot New Jersey 14-3 in the first period.
Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid made his first start of the season and kept the game scoreless. He stopped Brady Skjei on a point-blank one-timer and also Rick Nash, lunging with his blocker to get a piece of his wrist shot.
Kinkaid finished with 29 saves in his season debut.
Nash and the Rangers broke through 5:31 into the second period when David Desharnais found Nash at the side of the crease for Nash's first goal of the season.
But the Devils began to generate more shots at even strength after that and tied the score about 10 minutes later.
Desharnais turned the puck over in the Rangers' zone while attempting to clear and Brian Gibbons found Henrique, who beat Ondrej Pavelec to the far side to make it 1-1.
The Devils took the lead at 16:41 in the second period on a deflected point shot.
Ben Lovejoy skated into a one-time shot, firing it toward the front, where Wood tipped it from the high slot past Pavelec for his third of the season. Henrique was also screening Pavelec on the play.
Stafford made it 3-1 a minute into the third period. With the Devils on a four-on-three power play, Will Butcher pulled up at the blue line and flipped the puck to Stafford in stride. He skated in behind the defense and flipped the puck past a sprawling Pavelec.
Butcher, who had three assists in his NHL debut this season, is now tied for third in the league with eight. He also leads all rookies with eight points.
Kevin Shattenkirk scored with 56.8 seconds remaining in regulation to cut the Rangers' deficit to 3-2.
The Rangers, who were fourth in the NHL in scoring last season, have now scored five goals in their past four games, including one in each of their past three.
NOTES: This was the ninth time that brothers Kevin and Jimmy Hayes played against each other in the NHL. Kevin and the Rangers had won seven of the previous eight. ... Rangers C Mika Zibanejad won 11 of his 18 faceoff draws. ... New Jersey D Ben Lovejoy blocked a team-high four shots.