The New Jersey Devils concluded their preseason schedule with a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Ondrej Palat's power-play goal early in the third period proved to be the game-winner, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 of 22 shots to secure the win for the Devils.

The Devils got on the board first when Arseny Gritsyuk fed the puck to Paul Cotter, who fired a one-timer past Rangers' goalie Jonathan Quick. The Rangers responded midway through the second period with a fortunate goal. Simon Nemec attempted to clear the puck, but it deflected off Adam Edstrom and into the net.

Early in the third period, Ondrej Palat redirected a shot from Dougie Hamilton on the power play to give the Devils a 2-1 lead. Dawson Mercer sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

Markstrom's performance was a key factor in the Devils' win. With just over two minutes remaining, he made a crucial save on Alexis Lafreniere, who had received a pass in the slot from Vincent Trocheck.

The game had a noticeable fast pace from the start. Nico Hischier had an early chance to score for the Devils, but his backhand attempt went high. The Devils and Rangers had previously met in the preseason, with the Rangers winning the first encounter 5-3. In that game, Gritsyuk scored a power-play goal for the Devils.

The Devils are just over a week away from the start of the 2025-26 regular season. The team has played three preseason games and currently holds a record of 2-1. The Devils' complete 2025-26 preseason schedule included two games against both the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, as well as single games against the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. They also had a road game against the Ottawa Senators in Quebec City.