(New York) With their backs to the wall, the Rangers regained their offensive touch on Saturday.
Chris Kreider had a goal and two assists as New York won 5-2 against the New Jersey Devils, tying the stalemate 3-3 in the opening round series.
“We hit our target [Saturday],” said Mika Zibanejad, who scored in the second period. We will keep fighting, that’s all. »
The ultimate match will be presented Monday evening, at the Prudential Center.
“We worked all season for home ice advantage in Game 7,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. I know the team will give everything. »
After his superiority goal in the first period, Kreider took part in the nets of Zibanejad and Vladimir Tarasenko, in the second period.
“We played as a team,” Kreider said. We were united, we applied things that we talked about and we did it well. »
Barclay Goodrow and Braden Schneider also scored for Rangers, who relied on 34 saves from Igor Shesterkin.
Rangers had scored just two goals in their last three games.
Curtis Lazar and Dawson Mercer fought back for New Jersey.
Akira Schmid was beaten five times on 29 shots. In the previous three games, he had stopped 80 of 82 shots.
Kreider had 16 goals when his club faced elimination. In NHL history, only Mark Messier has scored so many.
Zibanejad hadn’t scored for 10 games.
Goodrow scored his first goal since March 12, rebounding from a shot by Jimmy Vesey.
Drafted in the first round in 2020, Schneider scored his first career playoff goal.