NEW YORK — New Jersey Devils rookie goaltender Akira Schmid had never appeared in an NHL playoff game before Saturday night’s Game 3 victory over the New York Rangers.
He entered an absolutely desperate situation for his team: Down 2-0 in their opening-round Eastern Conference playoff series, having been routed in two losses across the Hudson River in New Jersey; and making his postseason debut in front of over 18,000 frenzied New York fans at Madison Square Garden.
But Schmid made 35 saves, infusing the Devils with confidence until defenseman Dougie Hamilton‘s game-winner at 11:36 of overtime gave them a 2-1 win and cut the Rangers’ series lead in half.
“He’s stone cold. No pulse. Just always relaxed and poised,” Devils center Jack Hughes, who scored his team’s first goal, of his rookie netminder.
The Devils used three goaltenders in the regular season: Schmid (18 games) and Mackenzie Blackwood (22 games) spelled Vitek Vanecek (52 games), who started their first two playoff games against the Rangers. New York outscored the Devils, 10-2, in those two embarrassing losses, and Vanecek was benched with a .827 save percentage and a 4.52 goals-against average.
Devils coach Lindy Ruff met with general manager Tom Fitzgerald, assistant general manager and Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur and goaltending coach Dave Rogalski after Game 2. They determined that making a change to Schmid made sense. He handles the puck better than Vanecek, and that ability helped the Devils break out of their zone more effectively in Game 3.
“This isn’t at all on Vitek. He’s played well. We made a lot of bit mistakes in front of him,” Ruff said. “This was a chance to change things up. It ended up being the right decision by the end of the night.”
Another factor in the decision: Schmid’s demeanor. The 22-year-old Swiss native has only appeared in 24 NHL games. He appeared in 18 this season, including a few successful relief appearances when the Devils’ starter was chased.
“He’s given us a chance every time he’s been in the net, so hats off to him,” veteran forward Erik Haula said. “Not an easy place to come to, down 2-1 at MSG. The place is rocking. He stood in there and he gave us a chance to win.”
Schmid found out after the team’s dinner on Friday night that he would be the Game 3 starter. He admitted that beneath that cool demeanor were some nerves.
“I try not to show that I’m nervous. Want to get that vibe off, just say calm. It got better once I stepped on the ice,” he said. “It’s always a tough coming into situation like this, but you just try to treat it any other game. I guess that’s kind of how I am. That’s how I built. The guys did a great job helping me out, blocking shots, which makes my life easier.”
The Devils did a lot in front of Schmid that they didn’t do in front of Vanecek. That included stopping the Rangers on the power play, where they were 0-for-5 in Game 3. New York scored two power-play goals in each of their first two wins. Schmid made six saves on the penalty kill.
Ruff wouldn’t commit to Schmid for Game 4, scheduled for Monday night at Madison Square Garden. But it’s hard to imagine the Devils won’t turn back to the rookie whose calm, effective play helped save their season on Saturday night — while also helping them erase some of the embarrassment they felt in their opening two losses in the Battle of the Hudson.
“We got whacked, two games in a row. Last thing you want to do is stand and talk in front of you guys when we lose,” Hughes in his postgame media availability. “Better feeling tonight and that’s huge for our belief. We’re back in this thing and we’re excited. Now, we’re really pumped to play the next game.”
