It won't be easy for the New Jersey Devils to climb out of an 0-2 hole against the New York Rangers once their first-round series shifts to Madison Square Garden on Saturday, but head coach Lindy Ruff is keeping his spirits high.
"We talked about the way we started the year, going 0-2, and what we did after that," he told reporters Thursday after the Devils' second straight 5-1 loss to their Metropolitan Division rivals. "The team has always been up for an incredible challenge, and they're gonna battle to the bitter end."
The Devils kicked off their historic 2022-23 campaign with back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings by a combined score of 10-4.
New Jersey won three of its next four games before embarking on a 13-game win streak, which tied the 2000-01 Devils for the longest run in franchise history.
The Devils ended a four-year playoff drought this campaign and set a new team record in wins (52) and points (112) while boasting one of the league's most potent offences with 289 goals for.
Despite their regular-season success, the Devils have been limited to just two goals against the Rangers, neither of which have come at even strength.
Star forward Jack Hughes only has one point in the series, which came on a penalty-shot tally in Game 1.
"We're not playing to our standard. It's biting us in the ass right now," he said. "We're frustrated, obviously, but it's a long series. We want to bounce back."
He added, "We just got whacked for the second straight game. … We've got more opportunities, we've gotta go to the Garden and play a lot better."
The Devils found more success on the road than in their own barn in the regular season:
| Location | Record | Points | P% | GF/GP | GA/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 24-13-4 | 52 | .634 | 3.34 | 2.56 |
| Road | 28-9-4 | 60 | .732 | 3.71 | 2.85 |
"I've got a lot of faith in this team, I've got a lot of faith in the group," Ruff said. "They gave me everything they had the whole year. They're facing some veteran players that have been through wars.
"There was some frustration tonight, which comes along with not being in a battle like this, but this group has got a lot of heart. They've got a lot of desire."
Puck drops on Game 3 on Saturday in the Big Apple at 8 p.m. ET.
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