Eastern Conference Finals: New Jersey Devils Blanked 3-0 by the New York Rangers

The New Jersey Devils lost Game 3 of the crucial Eastern Conference finals to the arch-rival New York Rangers.

Captain Zach Parise and forward Ilya Kovalchuk combined for nine total shots, but could not beat Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist on Sunday.

The Devils outshot the Rangers by a count of 36-21, but Lundqvist was showing his form as a multiple-trophy finalist this year.

Apart from a 3-0 defeat, the Devils could not capitalize on key scoring opportunities.

After this game, the Devils will have to wait until Monday, May 21 to play their rematch at the Prudential Center—home of the Devils.

It is still unknown at this point, but both Jacob Josefson and Henrik Tallinder are gradually recovering from injuries. Devils fans may see them some time in this series, or maybe they'll reserve them for the Stanley Cup finals, if they successfully get there.

Personally, I think Ilya Kovalchuk has given his best to the Devils during this playoff run. He played big minutes on the Devils power play manning the point, and he has upped his game since sitting out one game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

It is normal for players to be less than 100 percent, but many of the Devils players are really sacrificing themselves this year for the benefit of the team.

It's a very good sign of the team chemistry for New Jersey.