Before the second round series started, the Rangers knew what was ahead of them. Coming off playing the final three in four days of their seven-game first round win over the Flyers, an unfriendly second round against the Penguins pitted the first three over a four day span. Due in large part to MSG building availability for Game 3, they were forced to play back to back. So were the Pens, who in case you forgot went six against the Blue Jackets.

One team adapted better. That would be Pittsburgh, who followed up a dominant 3-0 win in Game 2 by again shutting out the Rangers last night behind Marc-Andre Fleury, taking Game 3 2-0. With the suddenly hot goalie having stopped the last 57 shots, it makes Game 4 tomorrow a must for New York. They can’t afford another slip up or it could be early tee times. For the players, the focus is on sending the series back to Pittsburgh even which would turn it into a best of three. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for coach Alain Vigneault, who vented about the schedule after his team outshot the Pens 35-15 but never beat Fleury.

”We tried real hard. We were forced to play a stupid schedule,” Vigneault said. ”I am real proud of how our guys handled it.

”We put our best foot forward in each and every game. Now we’ve got a full day to recover.”

In a city that never sleeps, you can’t use that as a crutch. I’ve seen more than one fan allude to the schedule for why the Rangers are in a predicament. They took Game 1 and played a brutal Game 2 after having a day off. Was that also the NHL’s fault? Or maybe Vigneault didn’t have his team prepared. They know who they’re up against. Do you think it actually dawned on our players to match the Pens’ intensity? Apparently, it doesn’t matter who runs the bench. Despite all the struggles with handling adversity, they were dominated allowing Pittsburgh to carry momentum to The Garden.

The worst thing that happened was not scoring on Fleury. It allowed him to gain confidence. You can’t allow a fragile goalie to believe he can stop everything. Part of the issue is that after mailing in Game 2, most of the Rangers’ shots were without traffic. He was able to see everything and also got the benefit of three goalposts. His best stop came on Mats Zuccarello, who fired a laser that Fleury reached out and grabbed. The Pens did a good job in front. Their skating ability has allowed them to escape trouble. Even in a game they only mustered 15 shots, they were able to capitalize on breakaway goals from Sidney Crosby and Jussi Jokinen.

”I am happy about our whole team,” a desperate Vigneault noted. ”We played a real strong game. That is one of the best two-way teams in the league.”

He’s trying to put a positive spin on losing last night. Of course, it’s understandable. You don’t want a coach to panic. However, anyone who’s watched knows the Rangers are in trouble. Their latest power play crisis has seen them fail in 34 straight dating back to Game 2 of the first round. Even with the addition of Raphael Diaz, they were unable to break through. When you struggle as badly as they have, what often happens is players try too hard. A perfect example was how the Pens scored both goals. After failing to cash in on a double minor, Marc Staal let Crosby get behind him. He beat Henrik Lundqvist five-hole. Jokinen scored similarly after returning following a close call in the opposite end.

While Vigneault emphasizes strong 5 on 5 play, technically both Pens goals came at even strength. So, his analysis wasn’t accurate. In the last two losses, the Rangers haven’t paid enough attention to detail. Facing an opportunistic opponent, you can’t afford that. It’s no secret that Ryan McDonagh isn’t close to 100 percent. Our top defenseman remains without a point and hasn’t been himself. Take him away and they have little offense from the blueline. The effort is there but the execution isn’t.

It’s hard to go far in the postseason without a dominant defenseman. McDonagh is the closest thing to that for the Blueshirts. Partner Dan Girardi always gives supreme effort as does Staal and Anton Stralman. But none of them possess the impressive two-way skills of McDonagh. If he isn’t healthy, they lack that one impact guy who can make a difference. Something most of the remaining eight have. The Pens boast fundamentally flawed Kris Letang and steady Paul Martin. The Bruins have Zdeno Chara. The Hawks boast Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. The Kings have Drew Doughty. P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov headline the Canadiens. The Wild have Ryan Suter. Francois Beauchemin and Cam Fowler are the Ducks’ best but neither is in that class. They trail the Kings 2-0.

Assuming the Rangers fade out, it’s an area Glen Sather has failed to address during his reign. His team continues to lack a true power play quarterback. Ever since he traded Brian Leetch, he’s never replaced him. That more than anything is why this team continues to fire blanks on the power play. It doesn’t matter who coaches or what system is run. If they had converted on just a couple of chances, it could be the Rangers in better position up 2-1. Instead, they must win tomorrow or stare death in the face.