Taylor-made ‘W’
Hall helps Devils strike back at Lightning
THE FANS in Newark Monday night who’d been waiting six years to see playoff hockey again at The Rock haven’t been chanting Taylor Hall’s name lately. When they want to shower the Devils superstar with praise, they scream “M-VP” for the Hart Trophy candidate, whose spectacular season helped end the Devils’ five-season playoff drought.
In Game 3 against the Lightning, Hall played a part in the first three Devil goals before two empty-netters iced a 5-2 victory, cutting the series deficit to 2-1.
“I’ve had front-row seats for it all season long. It’s been a great show,” Cory Schneider, who made 34 saves in his first start of the series, said of Hall.
John Hynes turned to Schneider as part of a lineup shakeup that saw ex-Ranger Michael Grabner scratched and Marcus Johansson in for the first time since Jan. 23 after his second concussion of the season.
After watching the first game-and-a-half of the series from the bench, Schneider regained his form and won for the first time since Dec. 27.
“35 was unreal,” Hall said. “I’m so happy for him after the last couple of months.”
Schneider made two huge saves on former Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh and Tyler Johnson midway through the third and shook off leg tightness to remain in the game.
Hall ignited the crowd when he scored to tie the game, 1-1, at 12:24 of the second period. Ditto after he set up rookie Will Butcher’s 5-on-3 goal at 4:03 of the third to make it 2-2 while a trio of exiled Rangers (McDonagh, Dan Girardi and J.T. Miller) defended for the Lightning. With 7:05 left, Hall fed Stefan Noesen for a one-timer that gave the Devils a 3-2 lead.
Both of Tampa Bay’s goals came on power plays within the first 42 seconds of the second and third periods. The Lightning was 5-for-7 with a man-advantage in the series before Hall was called for tripping with 2:46 left and Blake Coleman connected for a shorthanded empty-netter with 57.3 seconds left.
Things got nasty, culminating in chaos with 22.4 seconds remaining when five players on each team were given misconducts after a fracas. Brian Boyle played a key role as agitator and trash-talked the Lightning’s 19-year-old rookie, Mikhail Sergachev, with a big grin.
“It’s competition. Healthy competition,” Boyle said.
Frustration was clearly setting in for the Lightning as the game wore on, and if the Devils can get under the skin of the top team in the East and force mistakes and penalties, it can only help their chances of forcing a longer series.
“It’s going to be a dog fight,” Coleman said. “If there was any thought in their heads that they were gonna sleepwalk through this series, I think we sent a message tonight.”