It's just one of the storylines as the two teams who concluded the season on divergent paths clash, beginning Saturday at 3 pm EDT at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.
While it's partially explained by the timeline for New Jersey's ascension and New York's subsequent fall from grace, the Rangers won all three series against New Jersey in the 1990s. They included several memorable moments.
If recent play is any indication, this season's Devils would appear poised to break the Ranger playoff jinx, as Martin Brodeur is displaying typical form on a club that ended the season winning 11 consecutive games.
New Jersey's Brian Gionta burned the New York Rangers for seven goals this season. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Used to the under-dog label
The Rangers, who surprised many hockey observers with their turnaround this season, lost five in a row at the wire to lose their grip on the Atlantic Division title as well as home-ice advantage for the first round.
"We were underdogs from the beginning and we are again," forward Jed Ortmeyer told the New York Times. "Everyone is writing us off already."
If need be, Ortmeyer and his teammates can take some inspiration from past New York clubs.
In 1992, the Rangers, the Presidents' Trophy winners, struggled in the first round with the Devils, eventually eliminating them in seven games. Game six featured a post-game brawl, with Scott Stevens involved in altercations at different points with both Tie Domi and Joey Kocur.
Just two years later, the teams would engage in a colossal battle in the Eastern Conference final, made famous by Mark Messier's guarantee with the Rangers down 3-2 in games.
Messier scored a hat trick in the next game, with Stephane Matteau notching the double-overtime winner in the series eliminator to send New York into the finals, where they would end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought by beating Vancouver.
The 1997 series meeting became notable in retrospect. While the five-game upset win by the Rangers in the first round helped the team to a surprise conference final appearance, it would be the last playoff game for the franchise until the puck drops on Saturday.
Current Devils Brodeur, Jay Pandolfo and Patrik Elias felt the sting of that loss, as did John MacLean, now the team's assistant coach.
Hails Jagr's talents
When New York's fortunes took a nosedive after that season, New Jersey took full advantage. Between 1997 and 2001, the Devils went unbeaten in 23 consecutive meetings between the clubs (15-0-8).
Pandolfo is expected to be front and centre this time around, given the assignment of trying to stop Rangers star Jaromir Jagr.
"The trick is to not let him get the puck because it's really tough to get it back," Pandolfo told the New York Post this week. "He's the best player in the league, so you have to know where the puck is and where he is.
"You have to have your head on a swivel."
Jagr had three goals and four assists in eight games against New Jersey this season. New York's tailspin coincided with Jagr losing out on the scoring race, but with 122 points (54 goals, 68 assists), the likely most valuable player candidate will still be a load to handle.
The player whose shadow may actually loom largest is a diminutive Devil. New Jersey's five-foot-seven winger, Brian Gionta, scored seven of his 48 goals against the Rangers.
With New York's resurgence, the season series more closely resembled the games of a decade ago. Each team won four, and most of the games were close.
Key players on the mend
The emergence of rookie star goalie Henrik Lundqvist helped the Rangers back to prominence, and the Devils were among the teams he frustrated. In three games against New Jersey, the young Swedish netminder yielded just five goals.
Lundqvist has been bothered recently by a hip flexor injury, but returned for the final regular-season game. Key contributors Martin Rucinsky and Steve Rucchin are also on the mend for New York.
While the Rangers got off to a good start and then faded a bit, New Jersey went 31-14-4 after general manager Lou Lamoriello took over behind the bench from a beleaguered Larry Robinson in December.
That said, MacLean and assistant Jacques Laperriere are most responsible for the team's strategy, with Lamoriello providing the motivational factor.
It took the team months to adjust to the loss of Stevens and Scott Niedermayer, the lynchpins of the blueline for several years.
While the current defensive corps has rebounded in recent weeks, aided by Brodeur's play, it was springtime when the departed pair were at their best.
Whatever the result this time around, the Devils-Rangers series figures to add to the lore for the hockey-mad fans on both sides of the Hudson.
