NEWARK, N.J. _ The memory stretches and, for the most part, fails to recall a chapter in the Devils-Rangers' rivalry since the Blueshirts returned to being a perennial playoff contender following the 2004-05 owners' lockout played this late in the season that truly had so little postseason implication.
The Devils, soon to be mathematically eliminated, will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. The Rangers are headed to the postseason for the seventh straight season and for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. But they are virtually locked into the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot, meaning they'll cross over to the Atlantic Division bracket and avoid the Metropolitan Division three-headed gauntlet of the Capitals, Blue Jackets and defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins.
Yet those sorts of factors rarely deter the bitterness or excitement in this rivalry.
And so it was Tuesday night at Prudential Center as the Devils avoided a season series sweep with a 3-2 overtime win as the teams went past regulation for the third straight game. The game was a strong example of what makes games between these two so memorable, so watchable, so intense.
And the frantic overtime, with chances at both ends, was as good as it gets.
On rush, John Quenneville fed Joseph Blandisi for the winner with 54.6 seconds remaining in overtime, shortly after Cory Schneider kept overtime going by stretching to get his left pad on Kevin Hayes' chance at the crease.
Schneider made 38 saves for the Devils (27-33-12) and was particularly strong as the Rangers made a strong push at the start of the third period.
Antti Raanta made 25 saves for the Rangers (45-24-4). He made a ridiculous save on Taylor Hall earlier in the overtime to keep the Rangers' hopes alive.
A sleepy second period erupted late with both goals and fists exchanged.
Quenneville scored his first NHL goal with a power-play score from the left circle to make it 1-0 at 15:16.
But Rangers rookie Pavel Buchnevich, behind the Devils' crease, found Oscar Lindberg cutting to the crease to tie the game at 1 at 16:53.
Hall, shaken up earlier in the second period when he collided with Mats Zuccarello in the Rangers' zone, scored a highlight-reel goal to give the Devils a 2-1 lead at 18:22 as, pitching forward in the left circle, he roofed a shot past Raanta.
Then came the fists.
Devils rookie Miles Wood, enraged after Nick Holden gave him a high hit along the right boards that sent him sprawling _ Wood returned to the lineup after a one-game absence after he was hurt after going into the boards in a 6-4 loss at Pittsburgh on Friday _ went after the Rangers defenseman.
The Devils' Nick Lappin and the Rangers' Jimmy Vesey also received fighting majors but the Rangers wound up on the power play with Wood also receiving a two-minute instigator minor and a 10-minute misconduct.
Rick Nash, left alone just above the crease, tied the game at 2 with a power-play backhander at 1:21 of the third period. The Rangers took 14 of the third period's first 16 shots and both Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello hit the crossbar with shots.
The Rangers outshot the Devils, 14-11, in a back-and-forth first period with both goalies sharp.
Mika Zibanejad, in particular, was dangerous for the Rangers and a video review was required to confirm his wraparound attempt at the right post at 17:30 did not cross the goal line.
Meanwhile, the Devils' top line of Travis Zajac centering Hall and Kyle Palmieri consistently pestered Raanta.
