The New Jersey Devils have taken down the New York Rangers in the latest chapter of the Hudson River Rivalry. New Jersey moves on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, Game 7 was not without a scary moment for the victors.
Devils star Timo Meier left Game 7 after being hit in the head by Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. Meier was evaluated in the locker room and did return to the bench before the end of the game. In the handshake line, Meier and Trouba exchanged words, and it seemed as if there were no hard feelings.
While Meier did return to the bench, he did not return to the ice. After the game, his nose also appeared bloody and “beaten up” by Devils reporter Ryan Novozinsky. Novozinsky noted that the Devils star was in good spirits despite everything.
The Devils won Game 7 4-0 on the strength of another outstanding performance from goalie Akira Schmid. The 22-year-old made 31 saves to help New Jersey win their first playoff series since 2012.
The Devils received goals from veteran forward Tomas Tatar and forward Michael McLeod in the second period. Veteran Erik Haula put home a third goal in the third period before Jesper Bratt scored an empty net goal.
The Devils advance to the second round to take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina advanced past the New York Islanders in the first round, needing six games to do so.
New Jersey turns their focus to making a deep run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The team is searching for their first Stanley Cup since 2003. Carolina, in turn, is looking for their first Cup since 2006.
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