With Win, Devils Get Home Ice Advantage Versus Rangers

NEWARK, N.J. —With the final seconds ticking off the clock in regulation, the Devils stood on the bench and started congratulating one another.

It didn't make a difference that there was an overtime to play and that the Rangers would still be on a power play. The Devils accomplished their primary mission yesterday. The got home-ice advantage for the first-round playoff series against their longtime New York area rivals.

The Devils got the other half of the job done minutes later, beating the Rangers for the first time this season with a 3–2 shootout win that gave them some momentum heading into the playoffs.

"It was important to get home ice, but it was just as important to get the win, if not just for our own psyche," Devils veteran Jay Pandolfo said. "They beat us seven times and to find a way to get a win against them is huge. They've all been tight games and I think it's going to continue that way in the playoffs."

This eighth meeting on the final day of the regular season was no different. It was entertaining, and even had the oddity of the Rangers pulling goaltender Henrik Lundqvist for the final 65 seconds of regulation with the game tied 2-all. New York had to win in regulation to pass the Devils for the no. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and coach Tom Renney did everything necessary to do that, even though his team came up short.

The playoff series will start with games at the Prudential Center on Wednesday and Friday.