NEWARK, N.J. — Timo Meier netted two goals and Jacob Markstrom stopped all 26 shots he faced as the New Jersey Devils shut out the New York Rangers 4-0 on Saturday, a win that also secured the Tampa Bay Lightning’s eighth consecutive playoff appearance.
Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier also found the back of the net as the Devils notched their third straight win. The loss snapped the Rangers’ brief two-game winning streak.
After a scoreless opening period, Meier broke through on the power play at 10:56 of the second, capitalizing just four seconds after New York’s Sam Carrick was sent off for interference. Bratt extended the lead with a shorthanded tally at 12:23, his 21st of the season.
Meier struck again in the third, scoring his 24th of the year at 15:01. Hischier added the finishing touch just over a minute later, making it 4-0 with his team-leading 35th goal. The Devils’ captain also picked up two assists in the win.
Markstrom was stellar throughout, recording his fourth shutout of the season and 24th of his career. The 35-year-old Swede now holds a 26-14-6 record in his debut season with New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the Rangers are in a precarious position. Despite finishing with the NHL’s best record last season, they’re now two points behind Montreal for the final playoff spot with only six games remaining. Montreal has one additional game in hand.
New York’s power-play struggles continued, going 0-for-2 and now just 2-for-43 in their last 43 opportunities. Igor Shesterkin made 12 saves in the loss, dropping to 25-27-5 on the year.
Game Notes:
- Rangers: Fell to 18-16-4 on the road. Their last visit to Prudential Center also ended in a shutout, a 5-0 defeat on Dec. 23.
- Devils: Improved to 19-13-5 at home and have now won four of their last five games overall.
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