Akira Schmid made 23 saves as the New Jersey Devils shut out the New York Rangers 4-0 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference First Round Series at the Prudential Center.
New Jersey has won three consecutive games in the series to take a 3-2 series lead and can eliminate their Hudson River rivals on Saturday night in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden.
"The boys have been playing phenomenal in front of me", Schmid said. "Not a lot of work for me. I can't give the boys enough credit. We just blocked a lot of shots (24), were in lanes and didn't let the puck get through."
Schmid has been the difference in the series, allowing just two goals in three starts since replacing Vitek Vanacek prior to Game 3 and picked up his first career playoff shutout in this game.
Erik Haula had two goals and an assist and Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for New Jersey.
"We just executed our gameplan and played in our strength", said Devils captain Nico Hischier. "That was a really good game from everyone."
Igor Shesterkin stopped 39 shots for New York.
"Jersey played one heck of a game, their best game of the series so far", said Rangers coach Gerard Gallant. "We got some traffic, and the goalie played really well for them.
"[Shesterkin] was excellent too, but I thought Schmid was really good."
Schmid, Haula lead Devils in Game 5 blanking of Rangers
Ondrej Palat gave New Jersey the lead 39 seconds into the game as after Vincent Trocheck won a defensive zone faceoff that went off the pads of Shesterkin, Palat scored from the slot when his shot deflected off the stick of Adam Fox and over Shesterkin's left shoulder.
Schmid made eight first period saves, the key one being with the Rangers having a 3-on-1 and a wrist shot by Artemi Panarin from the left circle saved with his glove.
"It's basically a 1-on-1 for me", Schmid said. "You play it as a 1-on-1. You don't really think about who it is, you just try to make a save."
Haula extended the Devils' lead 3:27 into the second period on the power play with a deflection before Schmid denied Niko Mikkola 23 seconds later the right post.
Mercer's first career playoff goal came on a one-timer from the left circle from a pass by Haula during a 2-on-1 with New Jersey shorthanded.
"I think this game and [Game 4], getting that first one off the start is a big thing", Mercer said. "You get the guys into it and around the emotion is there."
Haula scored into an empty net with 5:14 left for the 4-0 final.
"We've grown as a team", he said. "Even during the playoff series, we've taken steps. A lot of credit to all of the younger players of realizing what it takes to win and doing the right things."
The Devils were the first team to win at home in the series.
"We've got to go home and one game", said Rangers forward Chris Kreider. "... We've had a terrific fan base all year, but we let them down. We let ourselves down at home so it's up to us to show up and play the way we want to play from puck drop.
"It's time to play a full 60 (minutes) and win a hockey game."