Postgame: Rangers 5, Devils 3 — What happened, who stood out, and how expectations held up

Final score and context

The New Jersey Devils dropped their 2025-26 preseason opener 5–3 to the New York Rangers at Prudential Center on Sunday, September 21. In a game deliberately built around evaluation rather than results, New Jersey dressed a prospect-leaning lineup with a handful of veteran anchors. The afternoon still had structure and pace befitting the rivalry, and it delivered clear reads on several players who entered camp with defined objectives for the day.

Scoring summary and turning points

New York struck first at 3:12 of the opening frame, but New Jersey answered at 10:55 when Brian Halonen buried a power-play one-timer off a Dennis Cholowski feed with Mike Hardman providing the net-front touch. The second period decided the game: the Rangers poured in four, including goals from Dylan Roobroeck, Conor Sheary, and Scott Morrow before New Jersey punched back at 15:52 via Paul Cotter, who finished a slick Arseny Gritsyuk slip pass in transition. Jonny Brodzinski restored the three-goal cushion late in the second. New Jersey’s final push came on a 5-on-3 in the third after a high hit on Calen Addison; Gritsyuk stepped to his off-flank and ripped a power-play goal at 18:21 from Cholowski and Halonen. The clock ran out on further damage, sealing the 5–3 result.

Goaltending usage and outcomes

As planned, Jake Allen handled the first period and looked composed, stopping nine of ten shots while smoothing exits with calm touches behind the net. Nico Daws took the final forty minutes and faced the brunt of New York’s second-period surge, finishing with nine saves on thirteen shots. The distribution was intentional—Allen for a steady baseline; Daws for heavier volume and stress tests—but the middle frame left tape Daws can build from, particularly in rebound placement and post-play seals.

Standouts and first impressions

Arseny Gritsyuk’s North American debut was the headliner. He logged a power-play goal and an even-strength primary assist, posted six shots, and added four hits. Early shifts showed pacing adjustments, but his touches sharpened as the game wore on—most notably the second-period slip pass that freed Cotter up the middle and the late one-timer from the right flank on the 5-on-3. Paul Cotter paired finish with bite, scoring at five-on-five and registering a double-digit hit count that tilted a few retrieval battles New Jersey’s way. Dennis Cholowski quarterbacked confidently on the man advantage, collecting two primary assists from the top with patient puck movement and shot fakes to open seams.

Line usage and adjustments

New Jersey opened with Paul Cotter – Cody Glass – Arseny Gritsyuk as the primary offensive line, backed by Kurtis MacDermid – Juho Lammikko – Nathan Légaré as a heavy forecheck trio, Angus Crookshank – Luke Glendening – Brian Halonen as an energy/secondary shot line, and Mike Hardman – Kevin Rooney – Thomas Bordeleau for depth minutes and net-front work. On defense, Dennis Cholowski – Calen Addison handled puck-moving duties, Ethan Edwards – Austin Strand provided balance, and Colton White – Dmitri Osipov delivered a stay-at-home look. In the third period, the staff tested a notable tweak by sliding Lammikko between Gritsyuk and Cotter, a look that traded some half-wall distribution for defensive starts and retrieval strength.

Special teams snapshot

Two Devils goals came on the power play, including Gritsyuk’s late strike on a two-man advantage after an elbowing major assessed to the Rangers. The units rotated personnel throughout, but key through-lines emerged: Cholowski’s poise up top, Gritsyuk’s comfort on the right flank, and Halonen’s finishing touch and bump-spot utility. The penalty kill saw familiar faces—Glendening, Rooney, Lammikko, White, and Strand—keeping lanes tight and clearing early. New York’s power play was held off the board; for New Jersey, the late 5-on-3 showcased the one-touch tempo and net-front layers emphasized in camp.

Expectation check: who met, exceeded, or fell short

Against the pregame expectation set, Gritsyuk exceeded the brief with pace, chance creation, and shot volume. Cotter met and in moments exceeded his targets with one goal and a relentless forecheck. Cholowski exceeded by driving both power-play tallies via patient quarterbacking. Luke Glendening’s faceoff work and defensive calm matched the ask and stabilized third-line minutes. Cody Glass did not fully hit the benchmarks for faceoffs and middle-lane support at five-on-five despite some tidy half-wall touches. Ethan Edwards delivered a quietly outstanding first look, skating New York wide, finishing plus-1, and leading the defense in blocks. Nico Daws fell short of the control metrics set for him in a tough second period but settled as the third wore on. Calen Addison’s day was cut short by a high hit, limiting evaluation.

What it means

Preseason variance demands caution, but the staff gained clarity. Gritsyuk’s off-flank shot and his ability to manufacture seams translate. Cotter’s retrieval-to-finish profile remains playoff-useful. Cholowski put strong PP tape down. Edwards looks ready for tougher minutes. There are fixes for Daws—particularly traffic tracking and first rebounds—and the Glass line will want cleaner exits under pressure. As the exhibition slate continues and regulars filter in, these reads will inform role auditions and special-teams slots. The scoreboard stung less than the data helped: today’s tape moved several roster and deployment decisions forward.

Scoring summary

Special teams

Actual lines (opening look)

In-game adjustments

Line performance assessment

Player performance and expectation check