Game Inside the Game | THREE THINGS

The Devils and New York Rangers drop the puck in Game 1 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup playoffs Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Prudential Center.
At the end of the night, one team will leave victorious. And while a few plays will stand out as to why one team defeated the other, what shouldn't be ignored are the micro plays that, compiled together, are just as equally important.
"Every little game is a game inside the game really," Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said, "from the faceoff dots to special teams to knowing there are different ways they can generate opportunities and they know there are opportunities that we can."
In today's edition of Three Things presented by GEICO, we look at the game inside the game. Three "mini battles" that could prove pivotal in the outcome of games throughout the series.

1. Special Teams

Special teams may be the most obvious micro factor in a game (or even series).
However, what really makes special teams stand out in the postseason is their scarcity. Less penalties are called during the playoffs. Meaning less special teams opportunities. Meaning every power play takes on even greater importance than during the regular season.
"Playoffs are always tight games. If you're good in special teams you can decide games," Devils captain Nico Hischier said. "That's going to be a big factor."
"You'll always point to a situation or opportunity inside of a game, whether it's a big kill or it's a power-play goal, that sometimes made a difference in the game," Ruff said.
One intriguing battle will be the Devils' 4th-ranked penalty kill against the Rangers' 7th-ranked power play.
In the past 13 games, New Jersey had killed 87.5 percent of penalties against (28-for-32). In the last nine games for the Rangers, their power play has struck nine times in 22 tries, a whopping 40.9-percent success rate.
"They have a really good power play," defenseman John Marino said. "It's going to be important for us to stay out of the box. Penalty kill is going to be important the whole series."
One player the Devils may key in on is New York's Mika Zibanejad, who has 20 power-play goals and 39 power-play points on the season. Those numbers ranked third (tied) and sixth (tied) respectively in the entire NHL. Only Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl (32) and Connor McDavid (21) had more man-advantage goals than Zibanejad.
And aside from Zibanejad, the Rangers also have Chris Kreider, Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox on the top power-play unit.
"They have a lot of skill up front. They don't need as many shots as other teams do," Ruff said. "They have some real good shooters when you look at Zibanejad, Panarin, (Vladimir) Tarasenko, Kane."
"They have a really good power play. We need to find a way to neutralize that," defenseman Ryan Graves said. "We can't let that be a deciding factor in the series. They're going to get good chances and they're going to score. We just have to minimize it and try to keep momentum our way and let our power play do the same against them."
The Devils PK will have to do its job. And at the other, the Devils power play has to make the most of its limited chances.
"Momentum is a thing that can really swing a series. Your power play can really win you games," Graves said. "There aren't as many penalties and as many opportunities. You need to kill momentum when you can and gain momentum when you can on the other side of things."
"Special teams is definitely a big factor, penalty kill and power play," forward Timo Meier said. "We've prepared for it all season. Now the time is here. I think we're excited. We want to rise with the playoffs."

2. Strategies

The chess match of the playoffs will take place from the benches. While the coaches will certainly be adjusting their strategies and play, they still need to stick to what made them successful during the regular season.
"You play to the strength of your club. Along the way you have to make tweaks," Ruff said. "Every teams' goal once you hit the playoffs is you know that you have to play better. You have to elevate your game in certain areas. You have to make the areas that are your strengths continue to be your strengths. But from game to game you'll see gentle tweaks, whether it's the lineup, whether it's systems, whether it's trying to make sure the other team has something going that you're taking away."
The Devils will look to get certain matchups throughout the game, whether it's using a particular defense pairing against a particular Rangers line, or whether it's going line vs. line.
"There were some matchups we tried to get all year long. Those matchups are easier when you're at home," Ruff said referring to the home team getting the option of last change before a faceoff.
Marino and Graves have been a pair the Devils have liked to use against opposing team's best players. Or the club could also opt to have the Hischier line (Tomas Tatar, Dawson Mercer) go head-to-head with the Zibanejad line (Kreider, Kane) in a Power vs. Power matchup. However the Devils decide to target, their players are ready.
"I look at it as a challenge," Hischier said. "If I'm going to match up with a line, I'm trying to shut them down and create something on offense with good D work first. That's usually how you get some good chances as well. That's pretty much my mindset if I go against their top guys."
The Rangers will try to eliminate the Devils' speed, while the Devils will attempt to stymie the Rangers' rush attack. Every strategy requires a counterattack and a counter, counterattack and so on.
"They want to take our strengths away, we want to take their strengths away," Ruff said. "It comes down to who's going to do it better. Who's going to manage the game better. If they want to take our speed away, we want to take their skill and rush game away, we want to try to screen their goaltender and what they'll try to do to us."
"They're dangerous on the rush," Graves said. "You need to find ways to limit their time and space. It's tough though. Good players create space themselves. You just need to be frustrating, be hard to play against and they're going to try to do the same to us. It's going to be the game inside the game."

3. Faceoffs

Perhaps it doesn't get more game within the game than in the faceoff circle. Before the chaos begins, it's a mano-a-mano affair between the two centermen for possession of the puck. Every center has their strengths and tendencies. All of those will come into play during the postseason.
"You take little things from each game. You know their guys. They're probably studying us, too," Michael McLeod said. "They've got some key faceoff guys on their team, guys that we've gone against all year. It's going to be who can make adjustments on the fly."
Just like every other aspect of the game, faceoffs take on greater importance in the playoffs. Especially the defensive zone and special teams draws where a lost faceoff could result in a goal against (or goal for if you're on the other side).
The Devils have shown an acumen in the circle all season long with McLeod (60.6%), Erik Haula (54.2%) and Hischier (53.9%) ranking amongst the league's best. The Rangers best faceoff man is Vincent Trocheck at 56.1 percent with no other Ranger topping over 50 percent.
McLeod, who will be available for Game 1 following a high hit late in the season that forced him to miss the final two regular-season games, ranked third in the entire National Hockey League in winning percentage at 60.6 percent (Jonathan Toews, 63.1; Patrice Bergeron, 61.1). He has an ability to win draws both on his forehand (he's righthanded) and backhand. Meaning he can pivot to any side of the ice and be effective.
But if the Devils do want somone to take a draw on their strong side, they can turn to left-handed centers Haula and Hischier. It'll be up to the coaching staff to make those intricate decisions during the game, but they have no shortage of good options.
"Those are all the mini games that you try to win," Ruff said. "We had a couple guys that had good years on faceoffs. When you have a guy like Mike McLeod, who's had a good year, the advantage is in your favor. I'm pretty sure when you get inside a series, you're going to look at different opportunities in the faceoff dot."
Controlling the puck is controlling the game.
"Every (shift) if you start with the puck, it's better. It's obviously important," Hischier said.