Rangers 4, Devils 0
NEW YORK -- Ryan Callahan, Rick Nash, Brad Richards and Derek Stepan each finished with two points to power the New York Rangers to a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
Nash scored two goals, while Callahan and Stepan each recorded a goal and an assist, and Richards had two assists. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 20 shots to record his second shutout of the season.
The Rangers finished the truncated season with a 26-18-4 record.
By winning, the Rangers passed the New York Islanders for sixth in the Eastern Conference. New York is guaranteed to start the playoffs no worse than seventh, and could be the sixth seed if the Ottawa Senators do not earn at least three points in their next two games.
Stepan opened the scoring 2:37 into the game with his 18th goal of the season. John Moore intercepted Ryan Carter's clearing attempt, and dumped the puck behind the net, where Callahan gained control. The New York captain backhanded the puck to Stepan, for the one-timer.
Callahan and Stepan combined on New York's second goal. With the Rangers shorthanded because of Taylor Pyatt's penalty, Stepan sprung Callahan for a breakaway with a home run pass. Callahan bore down on Johan Hedberg and snapped a shot between Hedberg's legs.
The top line of Carl Hagelin, Stepan and Callahan has recorded 41 points in the last 15 games.
Nash increased the lead to 3-0 late in the second. Following an offensive zone faceoff loss, Richards stole the puck from Adam Larsson and fed Nash for his 20th of the season.
Nash's goal came shortly after the New York left wing was wrestled to the ice on a semi-breakaway by Ilya Kovalchuk, but no penalty was called.
Nash finished a personal game of tic-tac-toe with Richards and Mats Zuccarello in the Devils' zone with his second goal of the game 5:30 into the third period.
New Jersey ended the season with a 19-19-10 record. Ten of the Devils 19 losses came on the road.
Hedberg made 17 saves.
NOTES: Henrik Lundqvist made his 14th consecutive start and the 23rd in New York's last 25 games. "He's fine," John Tortorella said. "You guys (the media) talk him into being tired. He's fine and I want to keep progressing as a team. We'll just try to keep on playing here." ... New York scratched defensemen Matt Gilroy and Roman Hamrlik, and forwards Brian Boyle and Ryane Clowe. ... New Jersey scratched defensemen Mark Fayne, Eric Gelinas, Bryce Salvador and Alexander Urbom, and forwards Krystofer Barch, Matt D'Agostini, Tom Kostopoulos, Andrei Loktionov, Harri Pesonen and Mike Sislo. ... Salvador has missed the last eight games after being struck in the wrist by Zdeno Chara's slapshot in New Jersey's 5-4 loss to the Bruins on Apr. 10. "He's not ready to play," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. ... Johan Hedberg was New Jersey's starter in goal for the regular-season finale.
