1984 First Home Game vs Rangers

Lore & Background

The rivalry began when the Colorado Rockies moved to New Jersey to become the Devils. For the relocation, they were required to pay massive indemnities to the Rangers, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers for the right to share the New Jersey market.

Did You Know?

• The Devils and Rangers are two of the three teams that play in the New York City metropolitan area, the other being the New York Islanders.
• The Devils had an unbeaten streak against the Rangers throughout 23 regular season games going 15–0–8, starting on February 17, 1997, and ending March 31, 2001.
• In the 1994 Eastern Conference finals, the Devils' Valeri Zelepukin tied game seven with 7.7 seconds left in regulation, but the Rangers won in double overtime on a goal by Stephane Matteau.

Geographic Origins and Market Dynamics

The foundation of this intense hockey feud lies in the unique geography of the New York metropolitan area, creating what is known as the Hudson River rivalry. The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers are termed cross-river rivals because their home arenas sit on opposite banks of the Hudson River. Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan hosts the Rangers, while the Devils play at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark. These venues are separated by less than ten miles, making travel between them remarkably accessible via road through the Lincoln Tunnel or by rail along the Northeast Corridor and PATH system. This proximity intensified when the franchise relocated from Colorado to New Jersey for the 1982–83 season. To secure entry into this saturated market, the new Devils were forced to pay massive indemnities to geographically proximate teams like the Rangers, Islanders, and Flyers. Consequently, all three New York-area teams developed fierce, bitter rivalries with one another, as well as with other Atlantic Division heavyweights like the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals Drama

Perhaps no chapter in this rivalry is more legendary than the 1993–94 season, where both clubs finished as the league's top point-getters. Entering the playoffs, the Rangers held a perfect six-game record against New Jersey during the regular season, fueling media pressure on coach Mike Keenan to win the Presidents' Trophy. However, Keenan famously prioritized winning Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final in Madison Square Garden over regular-season accolades. The Eastern Conference Finals became a grueling seven-game saga defined by dramatic shifts in momentum. After the Devils took an early lead with a double-overtime victory, the Rangers responded with a shutout and a crucial Stephane Matteau goal. Facing elimination in Game Six at the Meadowlands, Rangers captain Mark Messier delivered a miraculous hat-trick to force a decider. In the final game, Valeri Zelepukin tied the match with mere seconds remaining, but Matteau scored again in double overtime to seal the series for New York, setting them up for their championship victory.

Devils' Redemption and Historic 1995 Triumph

Following the crushing defeat of 1994, the Devils mounted a remarkable recovery to claim the Stanley Cup just one year later. Their path to glory was arduous; they had to navigate through another fierce rival, the Philadelphia Flyers, in the conference finals after the Flyers had themselves eliminated the Rangers earlier that spring. Uniquely, New Jersey became the first team in history to win the Stanley Cup without enjoying home-ice advantage in any of the four playoff rounds. This improbable victory included a stunning sweep of the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings, cementing the rivalry's significance as a battle between consecutive champions who had dominated their respective sides of the Hudson River.

Shifting Momentum and Late Era Dominance

While the Rangers initially held the upper hand in early playoff meetings, including a 1997 series win where they limited New Jersey to just five goals, the dynamic shifted dramatically starting in 1998. The Devils began to dominate New York during regular-season matchups throughout the late nineties and early two-thousands. This era produced one of the most impressive streaks in rivalry history: an unbeaten run spanning four years from February 1997 to March 2001, where the Devils went 15–0–8 against their cross-river foes over twenty-three games. The momentum continued into the mid-2000s, highlighted by a stunning eleven-game winning streak at the end of the 2005–06 season. This surge allowed New Jersey to clinch the Atlantic Division in comeback fashion after trailing significantly earlier in the year, while the Rangers faltered down the stretch, marking a clear transition where the Devils had firmly seized control of this historic regional conflict.