With a 3-2 series lead in the four-of-seven-game semifinal series, the Devils can advance with a victory Monday night at Continental Arena in New Jersey.
Being first in the conference has not enabled the Devils to advance past the first round the last two seasons.
If the Devils and the Rangers were to finish with the same number of points, the Devils would advance on the basis of more victories.
The Devils, who won the series, four games to one, advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, where they will play the winner of the Philadelphia-Ottawa series.
Vanbiesbrouck did not play during the playoffs, but the Devils advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Elias came down the right wing as the Devils advanced quickly into the Boston zone.
As the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Devils had advanced through the first three rounds of this season's tournament with a swagger, insisting that they were the only ones who could defeat themselves.
The Devils did not address the question of who would have replaced Burns if the Devils had advanced.
The Devils would advance to defeat the rival New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Championship series.
The Devils, who were bounced from the first round last season by the Carolina Hurricanes, advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in four seasons.
