Devils vs. Rangers
Cross-river rivals: a battle for the Hudson.
The Devils–Rangers rivalry (also known as the Hudson River rivalry or the Battle of the Hudson River) is a National Hockey League (NHL) rivalry between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers. The two teams are called 'cross-river rivals.' This is because Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan, where the Rangers play, is across the Hudson River and less than 10 mi from the Prudential Center in downtown Newark (and previously, the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford), the home of the Devils. Travel between both arenas is easily accomplished by both road (usually through the Lincoln Tunnel) and rail (along the Northeast Corridor and PATH). 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. All three teams have fierce, bitter rivalries with each other, as well as with the other (now formerly) Atlantic Division teams, the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Quick Facts
- Devils founded
- 1982 (NHL expansion)
- Rangers founded
- 1926 (Original Six)
- Shared division
- Metropolitan Division (NHL)
- Rivalry type
- Geographic
- Divisional
- Playoff
- Notable playoff meeting
- 2003 First Round (Devils advanced to win the Stanley Cup that year)
- Rangers home
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- Devils home
- Prudential Center
- Newark
- NJ
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, geographically-proximate teams, for the right to share New Jersey market. Despite the Devils' overall Stanley Cup playoff superiority since the 1990s, the first three playoff series between these teams were all Rangers victories. Their first playoff meeting occurred during the 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs, when the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers survived a seven-game Patrick Division semifinals series with the Devils. The rivalry's most famous moments are centered around the significance of the teams' meetings during the 1994 and 1995 seasons. In 1994, the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. In 1995, the Devils won the Stanley Cup. The third Devils–Rangers playoff series occurred in 1997, with the Rangers eliminating the Devils in the conference semifinals. The teams had their fourth playoff meeting in the conference quarterfinals in 2006, a four-game sweep by New Jersey. Two years later, in the 2008 conference quarterfinals, the Rangers won the series.
Reader's Guide
Key moments include: 1992 – Rangers win first playoff meeting in seven games; 1994 – Rangers win Eastern Conference finals in seven games en route to Stanley Cup; 1995 – Devils win Stanley Cup; 1997 – Rangers eliminate Devils in five games; 2006 – Devils sweep Rangers in four games; 2008 – Rangers win series in five games. Notable incidents: Sean Avery's unsportsmanlike conduct screening of Martin Brodeur in 2008, and the subsequent handshake snub.
Did You Know?
- The Devils had an unbeaten streak against the Rangers spanning 23 regular season games from February 17, 1997, to March 31, 2001 (15–0–8).
- In 1994, Rangers captain Mark Messier guaranteed a Game 6 victory and scored a hat-trick to force Game 7.
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