Some five months after it mattered, the Rangers finally beat the Devils.
Blair Betts, Adam Hall and Brandon Dubinsky scorched Martin Brodeur in the opening 8:17 as the Rangers took their exhibition opener, 3-1, last night at the Meadowlands.
The rematch is tonight at the Garden, where the Devils completed their playoff sweep of the Rangers last spring.
Tuomas Pihlman solved Ranger goalie Al Montoya after the Blueshirts took the 30 lead, Hall and Dubinsky making Brodeur look bad with their goals 27 seconds apart.
Stephen Valiquette replaced Montoya and Frank Doyle took over from Brodeur midway through the second, as the Devils dropped to 1-1 in the preseason.