New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers Game 5 Eastern Conference Finals Recap

Easter Conference Finals Game 5 Recap – New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden (Devils win 5-3, take series lead 3-2)

Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers has just concluded with the Devils coming out on top, taking the lead in the series 3-2. They got the scoring started early with a couple of goals not even 5 minutes apart from Stephen Gionta and Patrick Elias in the first period. Travis Zajac then made it 3-0 to top it off on what would seem like an easy night for the Devils to cap off another win. But the Rangers wouldn’t die that easily. Brandon Prust put the Rangers on the board before the first period ended to make it 3-1.

Within the first minute (17 seconds in to be exact) of the second period, Ryan Callahan seemed to get a lucky bounce when a puck was thrown into the net and went off of Brodeur. The Rangers seemed to feed off that goal and crawled back to a tie, getting a goal from Marian Gaborik who finally got his first goal of the series. The Garden went nuts after the goal was scored and started with the “Marty” chants to try and throw the Devils off their game. But once the third was underway, it was like a chess match with the puck going back and forth from in one zone to the other.

Eventually the Devils would gain some forecheck in the Rangers zone and when the clock was winding down to about 3 minutes left in the third, Stephen Gionta and the Devils 4^th line would step up to be the difference maker and net the game winner. Ryan Carter was credited with the goal from a shot right in the slot thanks to a quick pass from Gionta battling along the boards. The Rangers would pull Lundqvist with just under 2 minutes to go and try to gain the advantage, but they could never sustain the forecheck long enough to get any clear shots on net. The Devils would keep getting the puck out and eventually Parise would get the empty netter to make the final score, 5-3.

If the Rangers want to advance to the Stanley Cup Final they’ll have to climb back into it and win a third straight Game 7 series, which is something a playoff team has never done.  If the Devils want to advance they’ll have to finish off the New York Rangers at home in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center in Game 6 Friday night.

Game 6 will be at 8 pm Friday night in Prudential Center on NBC Sports