Dominic Moore celebrates his game-winner with 2:25 left in the Rangers’ 2-1 Game 1 win over the Lightning.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

The intensity was fierce. The score was tied. The goaltending was superb. Nothing separated the Lightning and Rangers for 57 and a half minutes. In a game that seemed destined for overtime, a key role player stepped to the forefront for the Broadway winners. Dominic Moore’s goal with 2:25 left in regulation burned the Lightning as the Blueshirts drew first blood prevailing in a well played Game 1 by a score of 2-1 at MSG. They lead the Eastern Conference Final one game to none.

Ironically, Moore took the third straight bad penalty in a undisciplined third period by the Garden hosts that saw them give up the lead on Ondrej Palat’s power play rocket with Ryan McDonagh off for high sticking Tyler Johnson. The Rangers had to kill off Chris Kreider’s holding the stick minor and then dealt with Moore’s trip that put a dangerous opponent back on the power play.

The penalty kill stepped up by not permitting a shot. Splendid work was done by Jesper Fast, Carl Hagelin, Derek Stepan and Rick Nash along with McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal and Kevin Klein. Without such diligent work from their key personnel, the Rangers don’t get the opportunity to win the game late stunning the Lightning and the previously unbeatable Ben Bishop. He was still superb making 28 stops but had some bad luck on the Rangers’ pair including Moore’s winner.

After Moore got out of the penalty box, Hayes and Derick Brassard combined with Moore on a strong cycle behind the Tampa net. A similar strategy they used to defeat the Caps. Eventually, Hayes came off the boards with the puck with former Ranger Ryan Callahan on him. But the wise rookie was able to shoot towards the net with the puck deflecting off Moore’s leg past Bishop at 17:35. There was no need for video review with the deflection unintentional.

Following a strong shift by the Lightning fourth line, the Rangers were able to protect the lead without any problem. They did it by continuing to skate and get pucks deep. That included some stellar work from Kreider and Brassard. Even with Bolts coach Jon Cooper pulling Bishop with over a minute left, his team never got a sniff against Henrik Lundqvist, who again was strong making 23 saves in the Rangers’ postseason record 15th consecutive one-goal game. How else would they win?

It started out with the teams feeling each other out. Alain Vigneault made another change moving Martin St. Louis down to the third line with Moore and Hagelin. A move that seemed to spark St. Louis, who was around the puck more on the forecheck and had a couple of great chances. Replacing him on the Brassard and Nash line was Hayes, who fit in well hitting a goalpost off a sustained forecheck.

That wasn’t the only wise choice by Vigneault who had a good game behind the bench. Rather than use McDonagh and Girardi against Steven Stamkos, he opted to match them against the Lightning’s Triplet Line of Palat, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov. The second-year Rangers coach also made sure to have Stepan’s line out as much as possible. A more reliable two-way unit.

A sharp contrast to the second round was the amount of room there was on the ice. These are fast skating teams who look to transition quickly and find pinching D. It led to plenty of scoring chances and some quality stops especially from Bishop, who made 11 saves in a busy first period. The Rangers had most of the play outshooting the Lightning 11-7. Their aggressive forecheck forced turnovers. One led to a Stepan break in but Bishop got enough of his glove on his forehand shot pushing it over the net. Bishop also denied Tanner Glass late in the stanza with a good backcheck by Palat preventing a Girardi rebound opportunity.

The second period was more helter skelter. Tampa picked up their play. They also killed off a bench minor that led to Bishop gloving a Brassard shot. Following the kill, their transition game finally showed. The Johnson unit began creating opportunities. Lundqvist kicked out a Palat chance from the circle. He also denied the dangerous Kucherov. With Vigneault opting to have Staal and Boyle go up against Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn, they did some solid work. Stamkos created opportunities for his linemates but was held to just one shot and was minus-one.

D-Step Again: Derek Stepan celebrates another goal with Jesper Fast with 12.7 seconds left in the second period.
AP Photo by Kathy Willens/Getty Images

With the game still scoreless in the final minute, the Rangers finally broke through on Bishop thanks to a smart line change from Vigneault. Following some pressure from the Brassard line, he got the Stepan line back out. A strong Fast forecheck kept a play alive eventually leading to a cycle. Kreider attempted a shot from in tight which caromed off Andrej Sustr right to Stepan who as he did Wednesday buried the rebound for his fourth of the postseason with 12.7 seconds left. McDonagh drew the secondary assist keeping the play alive.

Ondrej Palat is congratulated by Steven Stamkos and teammates after scoring a power play goal that tied the game in the third.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Trailing by one, the Lightning were able to even the game following a bad McDonagh penalty when he got his stick up on Johnson. Off ironically enough a perfect Johnson pass, Palat one-timed it past Lundqvist’s glove inside the goalpost at 6:45 from Johnson and Hedman. That was the Bolts’ first shot of the third.

The Garden crowd quickly energized with “Let’s Go Rangers” chants trying to rally their team. The problem is they kept taking penalties. Kreider got nabbed for a holding the stick with 11:21 left. You can’t put the Bolts on the power play. They are more creative than the Caps moving it around more effectively. They use everyone. Stamkos was set up for his only shot on a one-timer which Lundqvist padded away. It was their only shot on it.

Tampa got their third straight chance when Moore went off with under five minutes remaining. But the Rangers penalty kill did a great job preventing the Lightning from getting shots. They also were aggressive with Nash skating into the Tampa zone. The D did the job in front of Lundqvist getting some key clears. The Lightning went 1-for-4 on the power play. The Rangers went 0-for-2 with the first abbreviated.

It came down to one big shift with a make shift line of Moore, Brassard and Hayes. Moore out in place of Nash due to returning. Brassard, who was a factor offensively made a good play behind the net getting it to Hayes who used his strength to get a shot past Callahan that caromed off Moore for the game decider at 17:35.

That was enough for them to win. Game 2 is Monday night at 8 PM.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Ben Bishop, TBL (28 saves incl. 21/22 thru 2-gave team a chance but finally loses to NYR falling to 8-1)

2nd Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (goal with 12.7 seconds left in 2nd-4th of postseason, 3 SOG, +1 in 25 shifts-18:35-Step with another sweet finish)

1st Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (scored at 17:35 of the 3rd for game-winner-1st of playoffs, 3 SOG, +1 in 24 shifts-17:13-nice reward for deserving player)