Two years ago, Akira Schmid was playing for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League.
On Saturday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup playoffs opening round, the 22-year-old rookie goaltender from Switzerland saved the Devils’ season.
His Devils had lost the first two games to the Rangers with the series headed to the Garden for Games 3 and 4, so coach Lindy Ruff decided it was time to push a big button — the change-the-goaltender button.
Desperation necessitates that kind of bold move. Ruff and the Devils were desperate, so Vitek Vanecek, who had started the first two games of the series for the Devils, both losses, was benched in favor of Schmid.
The result was a riveting 2-1 overtime victory for the Devils, highlighted by Schmid saving 35 of the 36 Rangers shots before Dougie Hamilton scored the game-winner with 8:24 remaining in the extra session.
Schmid became the first rookie goalie to start a playoff for the Devils game since Martin Brodeur in 1992, the first of 205 playoff games the greatest goalie in team history played for the club.
The Devils can only fantasize that this might be the start of something that special for Schmid in a New Jersey uniform. That, of course, is putting the cart before the horse. First, Schmid had to perform. He had to save the Devils’ season.
And save it he did, with a remarkable performance considering the circumstances. He helped shave the Rangers’ series lead to 2-1 entering Game 4 on Monday night at the Garden.
“This was a shot to maybe change things up, give us a better puck-handling goalie, and it ended up being the right decision,’’ Ruff said. “It was a decision that as an organization we spent a lot of time talking about [Friday] night, and we decided to go with him.’’
Schmid was told at the team dinner Friday night that he would be starting. He said that after that revelation, he had a difficult time sleeping.
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“I thought he played a heck of a game,’’ Ruff said. “He showed a lot of poise for a young man to come into this building and play the way he did. He has that calm demeanor. He’s had it all year long. There’s not a lot that bothers him. He’s a pretty poised kid.’’
Asked if he was nervous, Schmid said, “Yes. Very.’’
“But I tried to not show anyone, because I didn’t want to give that vibe off,” Schmid added.
“To come into MSG in his first playoff game and to play like that I think is pretty impressive,’’ said Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime. “He’s always so steady and so calm and he showed that tonight. We had full confidence when we saw he was playing. He plays the puck great, looks so calm in the net and makes saves look easy. Now, he’ll have to do it again next game.’’
Schmid survived five Rangers’ power plays on the night. That power play had been deadly in the first two games of the series, converting four goals in 10 chances.
He had a number of highlight saves on the night, but the best of them was perhaps the one he made on Alexis Lafreniere less than two minutes before Hamilton scored the game-winner.
“He made some key saves,’’ Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said.
The only goal Schmid allowed came on a second-period shot from Rangers winger Chris Kreider, who has five goals in three games and is playing like a hot baseball hitter no pitcher can get out.
After Kreider’s goal, Schmid never looked rattled. He looked like he’d been there before — even though he hadn’t.
“It’s kind of who I am, how I’m built,’’ Schmid said.
Schmid, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, played three seasons in the USHL. Game 3 at the Garden with the Devils’ season hanging in the balance, was a big step up.
Schmid started 14 games in the regular season and had a 9-5 record with a 2.13 goals-against average and a 92.2 save percentage. On Nov. 10, he got his first career NHL victory in a 4–3 overtime win over the Senators. On Feb. 25, he recorded his first NHL shutout in a 7–0 win over the Flyers.
Then came Saturday night, which trumped all of those memorable moments.
Inside the Devils’ dressing room before the game, there was an understanding that a goaltender change was being made.
“I don’t think it’s Vitek’s fault,’’ Devils wing Miles Wood told The Post. “You can’t pinpoint one person for this. [Ruff] is trying to spark something.’’
So he did.
With the kid.
And it worked.
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