Rangers top Devils 5–3 in preseason opener: what actually happened and how it stacked up to expectations

Final and flow

The New York Rangers opened the preseason with a 5–3 win over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on September 21, 2025. The game tracked 1–1 after the first period before a decisive 4–1 Rangers burst in the second created separation; New Jersey pulled one back late on a two-man advantage to reach the 5–3 final.

Scorers and swing moments

New York’s goals came from Gabe Perreault, Dylan Roobroeck, Conor Sheary, Scott Morrow, and Jonny Brodzinski. The middle frame proved pivotal: Roobroeck pounced early in the second, Sheary finished off a controlled-entry sequence, Morrow walked the line for a shot through traffic, and Brodzinski capped the run off a feed from Urho Vaakanainen with Roobroeck collecting the secondary assist. For New Jersey, Brian Halonen tied the first on a power play, Paul Cotter halved the deficit in the second from an Arseny Gritsyuk setup, and Gritsyuk added a late power-play strike.

Crease management

The Rangers split the game as planned. Jonathan Quick handled the opening segment and allowed one on strong, angle-first positioning. Dylan Garand closed, absorbing most of the late push and conceding two in relief. For New Jersey, Jake Allen surrendered one in the first period before Nico Daws entered and ran into the Rangers’ second-period surge.

Lines actually used

New York largely iced the prospect-leaning group anticipated in the morning, including the jumbo fourth line of Nathan Aspinall—Dylan Roobroeck—Matt Rempe. Up top, Conor Sheary—Juuso Parssinen—Gabe Perreault opened as the creative trio, Brennan Othmann—Justin Dowling—Taylor Raddysh formed the shooting line, and Anton Blidh—Noah Laba—Jonny Brodzinski shouldered matchups. On defense, Urho Vaakanainen—Will Borgen took the first pair, Derrick Pouliot—Casey Fitzgerald the second, and Connor Mackey—Scott Morrow the third.

Devils deployment

New Jersey’s first line featured Paul Cotter—Cody Glass—Arseny Gritsyuk, who combined for two of the Devils’ three tallies. Support lines rotated around Luke Glendening’s checking duties and Kevin Rooney’s energy minutes, while the blue line mixed puck movers Dennis Cholowski and Calen Addison with depth defenders. Addison exited after absorbing an elbow, which reshuffled the pairings.

Expectation check-ins: who met, exceeded, or fell short

The Rangers’ top line cleared the bar: Perreault opened the scoring and Sheary later added the 3–1 marker, while Parssinen registered a helper off a controlled entry. The jumbo fourth line exceeded hopes by directly producing (Roobroeck goal, Rempe primary assist) and tilting shifts with size without losing discipline. The checking trio met objectives with Brodzinski delivering the 5–2 goal and Blidh and Laba assisting on Morrow’s strike. The second line underwhelmed; Brennan Othmann’s night unraveled with a major and misconduct, which forced adjustments and muted looks for Dowling and Raddysh.

Blue line review

Morrow’s tally highlighted the third pair’s offensive upside; Mackey’s steadying touches set the stage. Vaakanainen—Borgen provided the intended calm on exits and net-front management, with Vaakanainen chipping in the primary feed on Brodzinski’s insurance goal. Pouliot—Fitzgerald delivered a clean, pragmatic night, and Fitzgerald’s early secondary assist jump-started the scoring through Perreault.

Goaltending vs. expectations

Quick met or slightly exceeded the brief—sound structure, limited second chances—while Garand largely met the ask with traffic tracking and timely stops despite the late Devils surge. The game script and split went to plan.

Devils highlights

Gritsyuk’s North American debut popped with a goal, assist, shot volume, and physical engagement. The Cotter—Glass—Gritsyuk trio met or exceeded their usage goals by generating off controlled entries and quick-strike counters. Daws’ two-period stretch proved bumpy during the Rangers’ four-goal second, a decisive swing the Devils could not overcome.

What it means

Preseason caveats apply, but New York’s camp priorities—clean exits, slot protection, and structured pace—showed through in the middle frame. The staff can bank actionable tape on Parssinen’s entry patterns with Perreault, Morrow’s activation, and the jumbo line’s sustainable routes. For New Jersey, the top trio’s chemistry and Gritsyuk’s shot translate, while special-teams details and second-goalie rhythm remain early targets.