David Schlemko scored on a power play with 8:46 left and the Devils rallied twice to beat the Rangers 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Lee Stempniak and Joseph Blandisi also scored, Cory Schneider made 31 saves and the surprising Devils beat the Rangers for the second straight time this season. It was their fifth win in six games and moved them within two points of New York for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
J.T. Miller scored twice for New York, which came within a goalpost of tying it on a shot by Ryan McDonagh. Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves.
The game was decided by special teams. The Devils were 2 for 2 with the extra skater and they killed off all four Rangers power plays.
Schlemko's winner came with Oscar Lindberg off for interference. The Devils won the faceoff and Rangers forward Derick Brassard broke his stick blocking a shot. Tyler Kennedy sent the puck to Stempniak along the goal line, and the pass deflected off McDonagh's stick and glided to Schlemko for a shot into the top corner, his fifth goal of the season.
McDonagh hit the post on the Rangers' final power play, and Schneider came up big in the closing minute.
After combining for two goals in the first 40 minutes, the teams got two in 67 seconds early in the third period.
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Miller put New York ahead at 2:06 with his second goal of the game. Keith Yandle skated from the point to between the circles and found Miller in the right circle. It was Miller's 15th goal of the season and sixth in five games.
Blandisi tied the game at 2-all with his second career goal. He took a pass off the boards from Andy Greene, skated around defenseman Dan Girardi and snapped a shot between Lundqvist's pads.
The difference in the game in the first two periods was special teams and Schneider's play, particularly in the opening period when the Rangers had at least half a dozen good scoring chances and only led 1-0.
Stempniak, who scored the winner in overtime in the teams' meeting earlier this season, tied the score early in the second period on a power play. Eric Gelinas took a shot from straight on and Stempniak, standing with a skate in the crease in front of Lundqvist, slammed home the rebound for his 15th goal.
The Rangers challenged the goal, saying that Stempniak interfered with Lundqvist by turning into the netminder. The officials reviewed the goal and it stood.
Miller gave the Rangers the lead with 6:29 left in the first period, capping a 2-on-1 with Brassard with his 14th goal. Jesper Fast set up the odd-man rush with a pass off the side boards in his own end, and the red-hot Miller converted into a wide-open net.
Both teams were missing top forwards. Rick Nash of the Rangers missed his third straight game with a bone bruise and Mike Cammalleri of the Devils was out with an upper-body injury.
NOTES: Alain Vigneault coached in his 1,020th NHL game, taking over No. 19 career from the late Pat Burns. ... The Rangers had not given up a power-play goal in their previous four games. ... Devils D John Moore missed his third straight with a lower-body injury. ... Devils D Seth Helgeson took a minor for a hit to the head against Daniel Paille, who seemed to have a bloody nose. ... Rangers D Kevin Klein left the game late after being hit into the boards.
