Rangers overcome slow start in Game 6 to stave off elimination vs. Devils

NEW YORK - The New York Rangers were in desperate need of a momentum swing.

With less than a minute remaining in Saturday's first period, they got it.

A Patrick Kane breakaway forced a tripping penalty on Devils forward Dawson Mercer, halting what had been a dominant start for New Jersey. The Blueshirts capitalized on the ensuing power play, with Mika Zibanejad's wayward one-timer deflecting in off Chris Kreider's skate.

A lucky bounce? Sure, but the Rangers didn't care.

Their confidence had been floundering following three straight losses that put them on the brink of elimination in this first-round playoff series. But once Kreider's goal hit the back of the net, they were able to exhale.

The entire course of Game 6 shifted from there, propelling the Rangers to a 5-2 win at Madison Square Garden.

It sets up a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday night at Prudential Center.

For the third time in the last two postseasons, New York will have an opportunity to come back in a series by winning multiple elimination games.

The turning point

It didn't look good for the Rangers early on.

In fact, the first 19 minutes were all Devils.

New Jersey dominated possession from the jump, dominating play at five-on-five in the first period to the tune of 12 scoring chances for and only one against, according to Natural Stat Trick. It took a 1-0 lead when Curtis Lazar pounced on a Kevin Bahl rebound at the 11:49 mark, which temporarily sucked the air out of a nervous home crowd.

But while the Devils looked fast and in control, a few undisciplined moments proved costly. They were called for four penalties in the first 23:20 of play, with Mercer's tripping call setting the Rangers up to snap an 0-for-14 power play skid.

Kreider's tally − his sixth in as many games this postseason − tied him with former Blueshirts captain Mark Messier for most goals in elimination games in NHL history with 16. It also ended a 97:53 scoring drought for New York, which had been shut out 4-0 in Game 5.

New life

It was an entirely different game from that point forward.

Had Kreider not scored with 25 seconds remaining in the first period, the Rangers would have headed in for intermission with their self-doubt festering.

Instead, they were given new life.

Kreider, in particular, lived up to his big-game reputation. He was in the middle of the first three Blueshirts' scoring plays, including the primary assist on Zibanejad's go-ahead goal at the 10:10 mark of the second period.

No. 20 drew two defenders behind the Devils' net and flicked a no-look pass to his centerman in the slot. Zibanejad netted the ensuing wrister from the slot, scoring his first goal of the postseason.

That gave the Rangers’ their first lead since the second period of Game 2.

Later in the period, Vladimir Tarasenko provided the ever-important insurance goal on a wrist shot from the high slot. That was also setup by Kreider, with the assist giving him three points for the night.

The Devils made their push in the final period, but Igor Shesterkin − who has been the Blueshirts' best player throughout this series − held strong and finished with 34 saves.

That allowed his team to pull away. Barclay Goodrow batted in a rebound off a rush attempt from Jimmy Vesey to make it 4-1 with 12:37 remaining, then Braden Schneider added a goal of his own to finish it off. The fifth and final tally chased Devils rookie goalie Akira Schmid, who was replaced by Vitek Vanecek with 7:32 left in the game after stopping only 24 of the 29 shots he faced.

Mercer scored with less than five minutes remaining, but it was far too late for the Devils by that point.

The result was New York's first win of the series on its home ice. Now the Rangers will head back to New Jersey, where we'll find out if they have any more playoff magic up their sleeve.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rangers overcome slow start to stave off elimination against Devils