Devils Take 2-0 in Series Against Rangers

If the Rangers still have a hope in the playoffs, they may need to bring in a excorcist to case off the Devils at Madison Square Garden. Otherwise they are well on they're way to a early first round dismissal.

(John) Madden tied an NHL playoff record with two man-down goals as part of his first postseason hat trick and led New Jersey to a 4-1 victory Monday night over the New York Rangers, who played without leading scorer Jaromir Jagr, defenseman Darius Kasparaitis and goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

The Devils won the first two games of the first-round, best-of-seven matchup on home ice and will carry a 2-0 advantage -- one they've never squandered -- into Game 3 at New York on Wednesday.

Jagr, the NHL's second-leading scorer, was forced to miss his first game of the season because of a shoulder injury sustained in New York's opening 6-1 loss on Saturday. The Rangers also were missing Kasparaitis, who aggravated a groin injury during the pregame skate.