NEWARK – It’s hard to remember a time where the New Jersey Devils have been more confident heading into one of their biggest rivalry games of the season. They certainly have every reason to be. A stunning turnaround from last year’s abysmal showing continues in Newark; the Devils shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-0, at the Prudential Center on Saturday night, good for a fourth win in their last five games. Jacob Markstrom needed to make just 12 saves in the victory, marking the sixth consecutive contest in which the Eastern Conference’s top team allowed 20 shots on goal or fewer. As they head into a Monday afternoon showdown on home ice against the New York Rangers, there’s a certain vibe in the locker room that hasn’t been there in a few years, one of a team that believes it can win. “I think we’re pretty confident,” said captain Nico Hischier. “I think we’re still trying to get better every day, finding consistency in our game. In our D zone, we’ve found that lately, and that’s just a good recipe.  If we can keep that and even get better as well…if you’re strong in your D zone, you’re definitely going to win more games than you lose.” The numbers would show that to be the case, as the Devils are off to a 22-11-3 start as they approach the halfway mark of the season. Over a large sample size, they’ve proven to be a team that’s built to win the kinds of games that are played once they start to matter the most in April, May and June. Why? It’s a defense-first, perhaps even defense-leads-to-offense approach under first year head coach Sheldon Keefe, who’s also reaped the benefits of some shrewd acquisitions by general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who traded for Markstrom and added Brenden Dillon, Brett Pesce and others to shore up a group that had more than a few soft moments the season prior. Now, the Devils allow very little in the way of quality chances, and haven’t given up more than 24 shots in a game since they visited Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2. “We’re on a good run here, and it’s credit to the guys,” Keefe said. “I didn’t think we were at our best (Saturday)…it’s just a credit to the guys. Structure takes care of you, being competitive takes care of you, second and third efforts defensively to shut down shots or block shots, or close space before they get a chance to get a clean shot. Determination, it’s fitting. The guys have been absolutely. So, even on a night when you’re not at your best, you’re well taken care of, and that’s what you want.”