Rangers win preseason opener over Devils; Gabe Perreault and Jonny Brodzinski among scorers

NEWARK — You do keep score in preseason games, and you are playing to win. But the point of the preseason is to get the work you need to prepare for the regular season.

So when the Rangers found themselves on the wrong end of a five-on-three power play in the closing minutes of their preseason opener Sunday afternoon against the Devils at the Prudential Center, it actually wasn’t the worst thing for goalie Dylan Garand.

“The PK stuff was actually pretty nice to get some reps in there,’’ Garand said after the Rangers’ 5-3 victory. “We haven’t really done any of that in practice yet. It’s kind of early for that. So to get some game action with that was nice, and hopefully keep knocking the rust off and moving forward.’’

The Rangers held a 5-2 lead when Brennan Othmann was given a five-minute elbowing penalty against the Devils’ Calen Addison with 3:23 remaining. That gave the Devils a major power play, and they went up two men when defenseman Urho Vaakanainen was given a cross-checking penalty with 2:35 remaining.

Garand allowed one goal during the five-on-three advantage but made several solid saves to help the Rangers earn their first victory under new coach Mike Sullivan. 

“Garand played really well, especially down the stretch, in those last two minutes, when we’re down five-on-four, five-on-three,’’ Sullivan said. “We needed some timely saves there. And they scored one, but he made a few timely saves to keep it out of reach for them.’’

After sending a “B’’ lineup to New Jersey, the Rangers got goals from top prospect Gabe Perreault, who is trying to win a spot on the third line; forward Conor Sheary, who is in camp on a tryout;   Scott Morrow,  who is battling for one of the last two spots on defense, plus Dylan Roobroeck and Jonny Brodzinski. Roobroeck also had an assist.

New Jersey, which did not dress any of its big-name players, got goals from Brian Halonen (on the power play), Paul Cotter and Arseny Gritsyuk (on the five-on-three).

Jonathan Quick started in goal for the Rangers and allowed one goal on 13 shots in 28 minutes and 16 seconds. Garand allowed two goals on 15 shots in 31:44.

For Garand, who signed a one-year, two-way contract this summer that pays $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the minor-league level, he knows that there’s no chance (barring injury) that he will make the Rangers out of training camp — not with Igor Shesterkin and Quick ahead of him.

But he is a little closer to playing in the NHL as the Rangers didn’t bring back No. 3 goalie Louis Domingue. Garand is the new No. 3, and one step away from making his NHL debut.

“I’ve just got to be ready for when my time comes, and I’ve just got to be where my feet are,’’ he said. “If I’m down in Hartford, just be in there trying to win hockey games and keep developing.’’

Notes & quotes: Matt Rempe had an assist and four hits . . . The Rangers are off Monday. They play on Tuesday night against the Bruins in their preseason home opener.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.