Last night was a great night for the New Jersey Devils. It was Game 7 of their 1st Round Playoff series against their despicable arch-rivals, the New York Rangers, at the Prudential Center in Newark.
They had lost the 1st 2 games of the series, before head coach Lindy Ruff switched goaltenders to Rookie Akira Schmid. It led to the team winning 4 of the next 5, including a 4-0 win in Game 7 last night, in front of an initially nervous, and eventually deliriously happy, home crowd.
The 1st period ended scoreless. Goals were scored in the 2nd period by Michael McLeod and Tomáš Tatar. In the 3rd came goals by Erik Haula and a late empty-netter by Jesper Bratt. Haula scored in the Playoffs for the Florida Panthers in 2020, the Nashville Predators in 2021, the Boston Bruins in 2022, and now for the Devils this season. He has scored in the Playoffs for 4 different teams in 4 seasons. I don't know if that's ever happened before in the NHL's 106-year history.
This was the 7th Playoff series between the teams, and the 3rd win for the Devils. The Mulberry Street Marauders move on to face the Carolina Hurricanes.
As for the Rangers, it's now 83 Years, 1 Cup. Their broadcaster Sam Rosen was right about 1994: That one has lasted a lifetime.
Once again, Ranger fans talked a lot of smack. Once again, they look like idiots. Once again, they had Yankee Fan talk and got Jet fan results.
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Ah, but it wasn’t such a good night for the Yankees. They opened a hone series against the Cleveland Guardians. Domingo Germán started, and pitched very well: Over 8 innings, he allowed no runs on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 5.
The Yankees didn't hit much for him. For a while, it looked like they'd hit just enough. In the 3rd inning, Jose Trevino hit a home run. After Anthony Volpe struck out, Anthony Rizzo walked, and this was followed by singles from Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu, which got Rizzo home. It was 2-0 Yankees.
It was still 2-0 Yankees as the 9th inning began. Manager Aaron Boone let Germán start the inning. He struck Myles Straw out. He needed just 2 more outs.
Then he gave up a single to Steven Kwan. And, noting that he'd thrown 88 pitches, manager Aaron Boone panicked. He took Germán out, and brought in Clay Holmes to close it out. Amed Rosario grounded to short. Volpe threw over, and Holmes himself tried to cover 1st base, and dropped the ball. Holmes then gave up singles to José Ramírez and Josh Naylor, tying the game.
Having let him face the minimum 3 batters, Boone then took Holmes out, and brought in Wandy Peralta. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you. Peralta walked Josh Bell to load the bases. He struck Andrés Giménez out, then walked Mike Zunino to force the go-ahead run home.
The bottom of the 9th came and went quietly: Torres grounded back to the pitcher, LeMahieu grounded to short, and Aaron Hicks, he of the .156 batting average, struck out. Boos rang out throughout Yankee Stadium II, and deservedly so.
Guardians 3, Yankees 2. WP: Enyel De Los Santos (2-0). SV: Emmanuel Clase (10). LP: Holmes (0-2). The Yankees are down to .500: 15-15.
The series continues tonight. Gerrit Cole starts against Tanner Bibee, weather permitting.
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