Devils Seek Season Sweep Against Rangers

The New Jersey Devils are struggling in the early part of 2025, losing five out of their last six games, including a recent overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Key issues include a high number of turnovers—25 in the last game—and poor face-off performance, where they won only 36% of draws against the Rangers. Despite the struggles, goalie Jacob Markstrom has been a bright spot, maintaining a strong goals against average and 20 victories this season. In contrast, the Rangers, who have lost four of their last six, are dealing with injuries to key players and have failed to recover from earlier defeats to the Devils, where they were outscored 10-1 in two prior meetings. Jack Hughes, a standout for the Devils, has not scored in five games, but remains crucial for their power-play success. The upcoming matchup between the two teams presents an opportunity for both to turn their seasons around, with the Rangers desperate to stop their slump and the Devils needing to regain their early-season form.