Rangers hope bevy of playoff expertise pays off towards Devils

Gerard Gallant needed no a part of it.

The expression on the face of the Rangers’ coach instructed you all you wanted to find out about how a lot he disliked the query. 

It was a query concerning the expectation and stress on this Rangers workforce bettering what it achieved a 12 months in the past when it gained beneficial expertise because it superior to the Jap Convention Finals earlier than being eradicated. 

“I don’t fear about any of that,’’ Gallant mentioned Monday after his workforce’s closing follow earlier than Tuesday evening’s playoff opener towards the Devils on the Prudential Middle. “I fear about preparing for Recreation 1 and enjoying. I don’t fear about expectations. It’s my job to get our workforce able to play greatest we will.” 

The very fact is the Rangers, with 852 video games of collective postseason expertise on their roster, enter this series with more postseason experience than the Devils. 

“It’s clearly good that we’ve received the expertise,’’ defenseman Ryan Lindgren mentioned. “We all know what it takes to go decently far within the playoffs. However, you possibly can type of take a look at it the opposite manner, too: We had been in the same spot as [the Devils] final 12 months and we had been capable of make a reasonably good run.’’ 

Certainly, the Rangers entered the postseason final 12 months having not been to the playoffs within the earlier 4 seasons, and performed like a seasoned workforce. 

“I do suppose expertise helps,’’ Lindgren mentioned. “We’ve received guys on this workforce which have gained Stanley Cups and a variety of us had been within the Jap Convention Finals final 12 months, so … it all the time helps when you understand what it takes.’’ 

Gallant referred to the roller-coaster final 12 months’s postseason was for his workforce, trailing the Penguins 3-1 earlier than coming again to win in seven video games, then trailing the Hurricanes 2-0 earlier than rallying to win in seven after which main defending-champion Tampa Bay 2-0 earlier than succumbing in six. 

“Final playoffs wasn’t simple,’’ Gallant mentioned. “There have been numerous ups and downs in these sequence. Certain, you be taught quite a bit from it, however this can be a new 12 months. What did I say final 12 months when Pittsburgh had extra expertise? It means nothing, and I really imagine that. It’s who’s able to play for the subsequent two weeks?’’ 

The Rangers, in midseason, added Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, two seasoned veterans with plenty of playoff experience.

Kane has performed 136 postseason video games and amassed 132 factors, together with 52 objectives. Tarasenko has performed in 90 playoff video games, scoring 41 objectives. 

“Playoff expertise can go a great distance,’’ ahead Vincent Trocheck mentioned. 

As a result of the Devils haven’t been to the playoffs since 2018, their core gamers — most notably star Jack Hughes — will probably be enjoying within the postseason for the primary time. 

“The playoff expertise helps quite a bit, as a result of you understand what to anticipate,’’ Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko mentioned. “However we didn’t have that final 12 months and we nonetheless performed good, so I don’t know. It’s nonetheless the identical sport.’’ 

The Devils, it ought to be famous, usually are not with out postseason expertise. 

Forwards Tomas Tatar (40 playoff video games) and Erik Haula (61) have expertise.

Dougie Hamilton has been to the playoffs six instances with Boston, Calgary, and Carolina.

Defenseman Brendan Smith has been seven instances.

Ondrej Palat has gained two Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay and in his eight playoff appearances, he has 94 factors in 138 video games with 48 objectives. 

The Devils have 4 gamers remaining on the roster from their final playoff workforce in 2017-18 — Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Miles Wooden and Damon Severson — however they’ve performed in solely 15 playoff video games mixed. 

“We could be a little bit bit older and have a little bit bit extra expertise and they’re extra just like the younger and upcoming workforce that’s speculated to be good for a very long time that’s getting their first style of playoff motion,’’ Kane mentioned. “We have now that have, so we’ve received to lean on it and attempt to make troublesome for them.’’