Termine » ted in me, trusted

The New Jersey Devils have moved to the brink of their first playoff berth since 2012 by forgetting the big picture and concentrating on the little things.

There is nothing more important than the here and now Ryan Hewitt Jersey , and the Devils conveyed that message to the rival New York Rangers on Tuesday night in moving within two points of the postseason.

Taylor Hall and rookie Will Butcher scored two goals apiece, and the Devils scored three times in the opening 10:40 to power their way to a 5-2 victory, their third straight and sixth in seven.

”It just shows our readiness to start the game,” goaltender Keith Kinkaid said after making 22 saves. ”We talked about getting off to a good start and we were ready at the drop of the puck and excited that we’re in control of our own destiny.”

Coupled with the Flyers’ loss to the New York Islanders, the Devils (95 points) moved into the top wild-card spot ahead of Philadelphia (94) in the Eastern Conference.

New Jersey can clinch a playoff spot either with a win or two overtime losses in its final two games, any combination by Florida in its last three games that cost it two points, or if the Flyers lose their final two games.

The Devils are also one point behind Pittsburgh and Columbus in the Metropolitan Division. They also have two games left and play each other Thursday.

”We’re all trying to perform and get better and trying to improve and tighten things up,” Devils veteran center Brian Boyle said. ”We’re being challenged to improve. We haven’t played necessarily good in certain areas but we understand the big picture and how we have to tighten that stuff up. We’re a motivated group.”

Travis Zajac ignited a three-goal first period with a tap-in tally 25 seconds after the opening faceoff, and New Jersey’s power play took over after that.

Butcher, who had never scored more than once in a game, got both with the Devils using an extra skater Aqib Talib Jersey , while Hall scored his first on a power play and got his 39th of the season on a second-period penalty shot that easily beat Henrik Lundqvist.

”Maybe he thought I was going to go five after scoring a few lately there, but I saw it and just tried to get it off my stick as quickly as I could,” Hall said.

Ryan Spooner and Kevin Hayes scored for the Rangers, who will miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Lundqvist made 39 saves.

Forward Chris Kreider said the Rangers didn’t get out of their own zone well, they didn’t generate much offense and took too many penalties.

”It makes for a pretty easy night for the opposition and a pretty hard night for us,” he said.

This rivalry game was over early.

Zajac started the roll by carrying the puck from his own end into the Rangers’ zone and dropping a pass to Blake Coleman. The forward flubbed his shot, but the puck deflected off the Kreider’s stick to Zajac who tucked it into an open net.

Hall got his 38th after the Rangers failed to clear a puck in front of stick-less Lundqvist.

Butcher scored from the right point 70 seconds after Rangers defenseman John Gilmour was penalized for shooting the puck into the crowd.

Spooner deflected Jimmy Vesey’s pass into the top of the net with 2:13 left in the period, and he hit the post before the period ended.

Butcher extended the lead to 4-1 just under seven minutes into the second period with a shot from the left point, and Hall beat Lundqvist over his glove after Brady Skjei prevented his shot on a breakaway. It marked the second time this season Hall has had four points in a game, one less than his career high.

Hayes scored on a giveaway in the third period.

NOTES: The Rangers played without forwards Mats Zuccarello (lower body) and Jesper Fast (groin). The two important penalty killer were hurt in the win in Carolina on Saturday. Coach Alain Vigneault said Fast would probably not play again this season … Zuccarello is day to day for the last two games. … Hall has had 27 multipoint games in what has been a career season. He has 93 points, three off the Devils’ single-season record set by Patrik Elias. … Butcher’s 44 points are the most by a Devils’ rookie defenseman in a season. Slava Fetisov had 42 in 1989-90.

UP NEXT

Rangers: At Islanders on Thursday night.

Devils: Play regular-season home finale against Toronto on Thursday night.

—

More NHL hockey: Much to his surprise Matthew Stafford Jersey , a $50 act of kindness made Arizona Cardinals tight end Jermaine Gresham an internet hero.

”It was crazy,” he said after the Cardinals went through voluntary workouts Tuesday. ”I really wasn’t expecting it.”

It all started when Gresham was standing in line behind Delilah Cassidy at an American Airlines gate at Los Angeles International Airport.

He could hear her being told that under the airline’s policy, she had to pay $25 for each of two carry-ons that wouldn’t fit under her seat. She had cash but it wasn’t accepted at the gate so she was in danger of missing her flight. So Gresham pulled out his credit card and paid, a random act of kindness.

”That’s pretty much what it was,” he said. ”I hope anyone would have done that. I don’t know. I just felt that’s how I was raised, my core values. Somebody in distress, just help them out. Nothing more, nothing less.”

To say Cassidy was grateful is an understatement.

”She was very nice,” Gresham said. ”She was very, very, very appreciative. She thanked me I want to say maybe 20 times.”

She told azcentral.com that she was in tears as she boarded the plane.

”I gave him this huge hug Donte Moncrief Jersey ,” she said. ”I was crying into Jermaine Gresham. I didn’t know it was him.”

Cassidy said that when they landed, she offered to pay him in cash but he declined and told her to pay it forward.

She had her photo taken with Gresham and told her story on Twitter.

It went viral.

Gresham had no idea until he heard from a Cardinals employee who follows such things.

”He said, `You’re a viral sensation,’ I said, `For what? I didn’t get arrested,”’ Gresham said. ”He sent me this picture and everything and I was like, `Oh, wow.”’

He seemed surprised that what he considered a small gesture wound up being such a big deal.

”I was right there,” he said. ”I had my wallet in my pocket. Just here, swipe my card. It’s 50 bucks. Catch your flight. There wasn’t much to it.”

Gresham, who is recovering from Achilles tendon surgery Joel Bitonio Jersey , said he made a great investment.

”I hope everybody in the world would do something like that,” Gresham said. ”Seeing her smile and her appreciation was worth it 10 times over.”

Of course he couldn’t escape some gentle ribbing from teammates.

”That’s the Walter Payton Man of the Year right there,” offensive tackle D.J. Humphries said as he walked by.

KIRK SPEAKS: Rookie wide receiver Christian Kirk spoke to reporters for the first time since reports surfaced of his Feb. 3 arrest outside the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament on charges of destruction of property and disorderly conduct. He and a friend had been accused of throwing rocks at cars. Police said Kirk appeared intoxicated at the time.

The charges were later dropped.

”Obviously there was a negative response to it,” Kirk, a second-round draft pick out of Texas A&M, said of the publicity surrounding the incident. ”But you’ve just got to block those things out and hold true to who you are and move on.”

Kirk was a top high school prospect born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Cardinals said they knew of the arrest when they drafted him but said they were confident it was not indicative of a larger problem.

”I told them the truth and they trusted in me, trusted in the type of person I was,” he said.

Now it’s back to football on a team where he figures to play a significant role.

”I’m just really happy it’s all cleared up,” Kirk said. ”I’m just glad to be back and showing people I am what I am.”

—

Troy Brown Jr. Jersey ,