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New Jersey Devils: Panthers losing, Devils winning, all part of great Easter present

By John Carroll Jr.

NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 31: Taylor Hall (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 31: Taylor Hall (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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What if I told you that the New Jersey Devils’ greatest gift of all was not them winning but the Panthers losing? Well, that is true. But Taylor Hall scores twice as Devs top free-falling Isles at home.

The New Jersey Devils topped the free-falling, lowly, Islanders at home. The Devs won the game 4-3 and were once again carried by Taylor Hall. But the win on Saturday night meant so much more after what happened Saturday afternoon.

All of New Jersey was scoreboard watching as they waited for the Devils to take the ice on Saturday. This is because the Panthers, the only team with a chance to knock NJ out of the playoffs were playing in Boston.

Luckily for the Devils, the Bruins were still trying to win the Atlantic Division so Florida was not going to have a cake-walk like the Devs’ against the Islanders.

However, and maybe this will be the last time these words are spoken in this market, the Devils should be thankful for the Boston Bruins.

Still sounds weird but it is true.

The Devils taking care of business themselves later in the day did the following:

  • Give the Devs 91 points after playing 78 games
  • Give the Panthers (only team close to taking NJD’s playoff spot) 86 points after 77 games

It is very close. If the Devils lose out and the Panthers win out New Jersey is on the outside looking in. Going into their game in Montreal on Sunday night, the Devils will gain another game over the Panthers making it imperative that the Devils keep winning.

That is the reason the Panthers loss in Boston was an early Easter gift for the Devils. The Panthers losing and the Devils winning was the perfect scenario for the Devils.

It still does not feel real, and it is still too close for comfort. But, this Devils team has a very real chance to make the playoffs. Even more so now. They just have to keep on winning and hope for results like this in the season’s last week.

Next: New Jersey Devils embracing underdog role in path to playoffs

So, Happy Easter Devil fans, the Panthers lost and you won! Relax and enjoy your day until 7 p.m. ET because then it’s game time again.

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