Devils’ Akira Schmid becomes goaltending star of 1st round

If anyone had Devils goaltender Akira Schmid being the player that turned around the series against the Rangers, they might want to go play the lotto.

Schmid was lights out for the Devils yet again in Game 7 on Monday night as New Jersey sent its Manhattan rival packing. It was his second shutout of the series and another reminder of just how good the 22-year-old netminder had been since taking over in net in Game 3 of the series.

In that time since he posted a 1.39 goals against average and a .951 save percentage.

“He played a heck of a game. I mean, he had a heck of a series,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “You envision things, but you don’t really envision what he did. This was a tough series. It was — like I said this morning — it was two good teams going at it. Goaltending on both sides turned out to be a big factor.”

What was talked about so much and displayed throughout the deciding game of the series was Schmid’s poise. The Swiss netminder had shown an incredible amount of composure and calmness during his five games in net against the Rangers, even in the face of surrendering five goals in Game 5.

Schmid seemed no worse for the wear when addressed reporters following the lopsided loss inside the visiting dressing room at Madison Square Garden. Back in Newark, he had already put the loss behind him on his way to a 31-save effort in Game 7.

“I just tried to forget about it as quick as I can after the game,” Schmid said about his mentality going from the Game 6 loss to Game 7. “I mean, (Devils’ goaltending coach Dave Rogalski) tried to do video yesterday, but I was gone too quick.”

Devils goaltender Akira Schmid covers up the puck as Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck tries to poke at it during Game 7 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 1, 2023.amNewYork/Kyle Sweeting

It’s fair to say that Schmid’s demeanor has helped lead to part of his success in the postseason and why his name stands with the franchise’s best netminders. He became the second goaltender in franchise history to earn a shutout in a Game 7 after Martin Brodeur did so on June 9, 2003.

Schmid is the first rookie netminder to record multiple shutouts during the postseason, with Brodeur only getting one during the 1994 playoffs. Sean Burke is the only other Devils goaltender to record a postseason shutout as a rookie.

There is a laundry list of other notes that were under Schmid’s name after the series-clinching win. But what’s made Schmid’s run so impressive has been the seemingly out-of-nowhere route that it has come.

Before the postseason, Schmid had started a mere 14 games during the regular season in which he had a 9-5 record and 2.13 goals against average. In his two seasons in the NHL, Schmid had started a grand total of 18 games.

When the series between New Jersey and New York began, the focus was on a goaltender. Just the one at the other end of the ice name Igor Shesterkin. However, Schmid outdueled the reigning Vezina Trophy winner once he took over between the pipes.

“I mean, you gotta be ready if you get the chance,” Schmid said about the last week-plus. “Then you got to, you know, take the opportunity and play well, in this league. Obviously, the team helped me out a lot making the transition a lot easier for me.”