Hockey fans, it’s that time of year again! The NHL preseason is coming to an end, and the regular season is on the horizon. Let’s take a look at preseason and some predictions for two of our local teams: the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.
Jersey ended their preseason with a 1-0-6 record, consisting of two one-goal games against both the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers (Fox Sports). Ramapo biology teacher Ms. Angerson, an avid Devils fan and hockey mom, watched one of these tight games against the Rangers on October 1 and commented, “I thought the Devils would get a little closer towards the end of the game. They ended up scoring but couldn’t tie it up.” She elaborated on the potential of Jersey’s team for this upcoming season: “They have a lot of young players, which is promising, and their goalie is good.”
Speaking of the promising future, new additions to Jersey’s roster have drawn positive attention from fans. Rookie Devils defenseman, Seamus Casey, scored his first NHL goal with a beautiful toe-drag release on the power play to tie up the game against Buffalo in the Devils’ season opener in Prague. Devils fans are excited to see how the talented young defenseman performs throughout the season. Additionally, Jersey’s newly acquired goaltender, Jacob Markstrom, made 30 saves in his Devils debut, earning the team an impressive 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres (nhl.com). He maintained his stellar performance in game two, limiting Buffalo to 18 shots in a 3-1 victory (Fox Sports). These two wins also marked Coach Sheldon Keefe’s first wins with the Devils.
Now, let’s switch gears to our second local team, the New York Rangers. The Rangers had an impressive preseason performance with a 4-0-2 record (Fox Sports). The team will rely on returners like Brandon Schneider, Ryan Lindgren, Adam Fox, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin to bring them to the playoffs. Ramapo senior Ellie Grant comments, “The NHL preseason is one of my favorite ways to get into fall from summer. I am a die-hard Rangers fan, but I love watching all the teams filled with tension, excitement, fights, and stamina. Preseason always reminds me how much I love hockey, and makes me exhilarated for the next couple months.”
With the conclusion of NHL Preseason, fans eagerly anticipate their team’s first month of the regular season. The additions of rookie players and goalies, as well as coaching staff changes, should make for an interesting season across the National Hockey League. Which team are you rooting for?
