NHL roundup: Rangers do enough to dump visiting Devils 3-1
NEW YORK (AP) — Mika Zibanejad and Erik Gustafsson scored in the second period as the New York Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 on Monday night.
Vincent Trocheck also scored and Jonathan Quick made 20 saves as the first-place Rangers won their second straight after losing three of four. New York is 14-3-2 in its last 19 games and beat New Jersey for the third straight time this season after the Devils won their first-round playoff series in seven games last spring.
Devils’ defenceman Simon Nemec spoiled Quick’s shutout bid with 2:34 remaining. Kaapo Kahkonen finished with 23 saves in his New Jersey debut after he was acquired from San Jose last Friday.
The Devils lost for the eighth time in 11 games and for the third time in four games under interim coach Travis Green, who replaced Lindy Ruff on March 4. They trail Detroit by six points for the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.