NHL Playoffs 2012: Breaking Down Devils vs. Rangers Eastern Finals Matchup

There is the distinct possibility that the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils could be a rather boring affair for the more casual fan.

Such is the case when you pit two teams that play excellent team defense and boast solid goaltenders against one another.

Of course, the difference in this series could come down to which of those goaltenders shines the brightest. Or which team is able to squeeze more efficiency from their offensive attack. Or a whole other slew of things, which I'll break down in this article.

Get your playoff beards ready, as we preview the Eastern Conference finals and offer the keys to this series.

Rest vs. Rust

The Rangers have a day off between the Game 7 win over the Washington Capitals and Monday's Game 1 against the Devils, who haven't played since Tuesday night.

And the Rangers have played the maximum 14 games in the first two rounds, which may work against them more than you'd think. Here's a fun fact from Mike Halford of Pro Hockey Talk:

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New York has played 14 games in its first two series. Since the NHL playoffs expanded beyond two rounds in 1968, no team has won the Stanley Cup after playing the maximum 14 games in the opening rounds.

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Will the Devils be rusty and vulnerable in Game 1? Will the Rangers eventually wear down in what promises to be an intense, physical series?

How those questions are answered will be major factors in this series.

The Devils' Attack

Both of these teams play excellent team defense, and it would be shocking if this series had many games where either side scored three or more goals.

Thus, one of the keys will be what I believe was the key factor in Devils' second-round victory over the Philadelphia Flyers—the forecheck.

The Devils stymied the Flyers' vaunted offensive attack by keeping them pinned in their own zone. New Jersey routinely won the battles on the boards, not only keeping the Flyers on their heels but also creating numerous scoring chances.

In a series likely to be dominated by defense, the Devils will have to rely on a strong forecheck to keep the pressure on the New York defense and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

If the Rangers are at all weary after two seven-game series, the Devils might find success grinding out loose pucks and creating chaos in front of New York's net. That might end up being the secret in this series.

Henrik Lundqvist

He's capable of stealing this series, plain and simple. The Vezina Trophy finalist has been fantastic in these playoffs, with a 1.68 GAA and .937 save percentage. Though he's only had one shutout thus far in these playoffs, he's held opponents to only one goal five times.

Certainly, Lundqvist is helped by the Rangers willingness and proficiency in blocking shots before they ever reach the star goalie, a huge reason why they've only allowed 26 goals this postseason.

But ultimately, he's got to be a wall for this team to win this series, namely on the penalty kill when blocking shots becomes more difficult. That's especially true against the Devils, who scored power play goals in four of five games against the Flyers.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Gaborik

In a defensive series, the momentum can be shifted on a play or two. And no two offensive players are more dangerous in this series than these two.

Kovalchuk has been very good in these playoffs, with 12 points in 11 games. He seems far more of a team-oriented player than he was last season, and every time he touches the puck he's a threat to score.

Gaborik has been solid with 10 points this postseason, but the Rangers will need more than the four goals (none on the power play) that they've gotten from Gaborik thus far, especially after he led the team with 41 goals and 76 points this season.

He'll be needed to wake up a stale power play for the Rangers, a tall task considering the Devils had the best penalty kill in the regular season and were solid in that regard against the Flyers.

Prediction: Devils in Seven

This series will be a nasty, tight-checking, low-scoring affair from beginning to end. Ultimately, the Devils' superior offensive attack and high-pressure forecheck will be the difference. This one may not be all that entertaining for the casual fan, but it will be hockey played at an extremely high level.

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