Devils (4) vs. Rangers (5) Playoff Preview

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The New Jersey Devils' 4-3 shootout win in the regular season finale gave them home ice in this series ... but what did it really mean? Did the victory give the Devils a little confidence that they could, in fact, hand the Rangers a loss after going 0-7 against the Blueshirts during the rest of the regular season? Or did the loss actually keep the Rangers from believing they had an unshakable hex on the Diablos, which could have potentially fueled overconfidence in the postseason?

If this sounds like a little too much psychology for two teams that are probably just going to bash each others' brains in for six or seven games, think again. This is a series that hinges on the Devils not allowing Henrik Lundqvist to get into their heads; or Jaromir Jagr not allowing players like Dainius Zubrus and Jay Pandolfo to frustrate him into ineffectiveness (luckily, the player that Jagr injured himself trying to punch two years ago is now his teammate); or anyone wearing red and black not overreacting when Sean Avery goes into pest overdrive.

It's a chess match between two smart coaches, and a psychological battle between and within players. It's also a series that could easily become the most brutal and tightly-played in the Eastern Conference's first round. So who has the advantage?

Offense: Yes, please. Oh, I see, that wasn't a question. The Devils scored 206 goals on the season and the Rangers had 213. The Devils had four players with 20 or more goals: Zach Parise (32), Brian Gionta (22), John Madden (20) and Patrik Elias (20). The fact that Madden is in that list speaks volumes about the Devils' goal-scoring woes: Without the kind of dominant offensive line it's had in the past (The A Line, the EGG Line), New Jersey needs scoring from deep within its supporting cast to win in the postseason. We're talking lines like Zubrus-Rupp-Clarkson and Brylin-Zajac-Asham. The Rangers only had three 20-goal scorers -- Chris Drury (25), Jaromir Jagr (25) and Brendan Shanahan (23) -- but had two 70-point men in Jagr (71) and Scott Gomez (70) while the Devils had none. New York has the better power play, practically by default considering how bad the Devils can look with the man advantage. This series could be determined by how much water either of these teams can squeeze out of an offensive stone. Edge: New York.

Defense: Word is that Shanahan, Gomez and Avery will be paired together, which gives Devils coach Brent Sutter an interesting conundrum in how he deals with Jagr. Zubrus got the call against No. 68 in the teams' last three meetings, but Jay Pandolfo has a proven track record of not only shutting Jagr down but getting in his head. Will the Devils match two lines defensively? On the blueline, both teams are average at best. New York's corps of Michal Rozsival, Marc Staal, Daniel Girardi and Fedor Tyutin have been inconsistent but not a liability. Paul Martin has blossomed into a top-pairing defenseman this season for New Jersey, and Colin White can be a physical difference-maker. But the Devils rely on players like Mike Mottau and Johnny Oduya more than a team should rely on players like Mike Mottau and Johnny Oduya. New Jersey gets a huge lift with the return of Bryce Salvador, its only trade deadline acquisition, back from injury. The Rangers might be better on the blueline, but the Devils have the better team defense under Sutter. Edge: New Jersey.

Goaltending: Wow, what a battle this will be. Lundqvist owned the Devils to the tune of a 7-0-1 record and two shutouts this season. If he gets off to a hot start, the goal-starved Devils could get discouraged quickly. In a world in which a goalie's contribution to his team isn't discounted simply because he has his own award, Brodeur would be a Hart finalist for carrying the Devils this season. But as the defensive talent in front of him has departed -- players like Scotts Stevens and Niedermayer, and Brian Rafalski -- Marty's postseason numbers have inflated like he does before training camp. He'll need to steal a game for the Devils to win. Edge: Even.

Prediction: If the Devils want to win the series, they need to show a glimmer of offensive life and that Lundqvist isn't impenetrable against New Jersey. If the Rangers want to win, they need to show their veteran offensive players are the difference-makers in the series, and hope that Lundqvist continues his mastery. The regular season record has been a bellwether for many pundits; I learned to stop taking things for granted in this rivalry back in 1994. I think the Devils squeeze out just enough offense, and Brodeur out-duels his cross-river rival. Pick: Devils in 7.