Jimmy Vesey scores go-ahead goal late in third period to lift Rangers over Devils

NEWARK — A game in the middle of November is never going to equate to a playoff series in the spring, but the Rangers had made it clear before Saturday’s meeting with the Devils at Prudential Center that this was a little bit more than just a run-of-the-mill contest.

The Rangers were eliminated by the Devils in seven games in the first round of the playoffs last season. And with Igor Shesterkin back in goal for the Rangers after missing the previous four games with an undisclosed injury and Jack Hughes back for the Devils after missing the last five with a shoulder injury, that only added to the big-game feel.

Two goals each by Jimmy Vesey and Artemi Panarin, who set the franchise record for longest scoring streak to start a season, plus an empty-netter by Blake Wheeler gave the Rangers a 5-3 victory in their first meeting with the Devils.

Vesey scored the winner with 2:49 remaining in regulation. He corralled the rebound of Tyler Pitlick’s shot, did a spin and backhanded it into the net. His second goal of the game and third of the season gave the Rangers a 4-3 lead.

Wheeler added an insurance goal with 1:33 remaining when he stole the puck from Luke Hughes just inside the Rangers’ blue line and fired the puck all the way down the ice for his second goal of the season.

The win was the fourth in a row for the Blueshirts and extended their streak to 11 games with at least a point (10-0-1).

“They had guys out of the lineup [and] they were down to 10 forwards, so it was a little funky,’’ Vesey said. “But it’s always a rivalry. So a big two points for us. And . . . I don’t think it was perfect all the way, but it’s a sign of a good team.’’

“I thought both teams played hard at their moments, and at the end, I really liked the fact that our guys stuck with it,’’ Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “We went down by a goal early in the third there and just stayed with it.

“Shesty made some big saves at 2-2, he made some big saves at 3-2, and our guys . . . just stayed with the plan and eventually got it tied up on a nice goal and then pushed it in.’’

Shesterkin, who had last played Nov. 2 in a 2-1 win over Carolina at Madison Square Garden, looked a little rusty early, allowing two questionable goals in the first period. But he got stronger as the game went on and finished with 30 saves, including a save-rebound-save sequence on Tyler Toffoli and Michael McLeod shortly after Erik Haula’s goal 1:16 into the third period gave the Devils a 3-2 lead.

He came up big again when he stopped Jesper Bratt on a breakaway just after a Rangers power play ended midway through the period, keeping it a one-goal game.

“Every minute that went by, he looked better and better,’’ Laviolette said. “And that’s to be expected. I mean, he was out for [two weeks]. But I thought as the game progressed . . . we needed him. [And] I thought he really stepped up.’’

After Haula’s goal broke a 2-2 tie, the Rangers tied it at 3-3 on Panarin’s second goal of the game off an offensive-zone faceoff at 11:04.

Vincent Trocheck, who led the NHL in faceoff percentage entering the game, battled with Haula on a draw in the offensive right circle and the puck squirted out. Panarin got to it first and fired a shot up over the catching glove of Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek (30 saves).

“I just saw the puck and after my probably 26 years in a hockey rink, I know exactly where the net is,’’ said Panarin, who has picked up at least one point in 15 straight games to start the season.

“Troch did an unbelievable job battling for me and yeah, I just ripped the puck on the net.’’

The teams were tied 2-2 after the first period. Panarin (on a power play) and Vesey scored for the Rangers and Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palat (on a power play) scored for the Devils. Shesterkin had meaty pieces of the shot on both goals, but they somehow slithered in.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.