Random Hockey Thoughts

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Derek
Shane Prince

Shane Prince scores one of two goals in the first period against the Lightning, highlighting an Islanders’ 5-3 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal. AP Photo/Chris O’Meara/Getty Images

Rather than just recap the latest happenings in the NHL Playoffs with the first round closing with another upset and the second round beginning with an Islander win over the Lightning, I am just gonna give some quick insight on things.

-Once again, the Ducks fell short in a home Game 7 situation, losing for a seemingly impossible fourth straight time at Honda Center in a gut wrenching 2-1 loss to the Predators. They just don’t have what it takes. For some reason, the puck doesn’t go in for Corey Perry or Ryan Getzlaf. Is changing the coach really the answer? Bruce Boudreau has a miserable Game 7 record. But he can’t skate or score for these guys. Something’s off in the Pond.

-Credit Nashville for playing a determined, gritty defensive style that frustrated the Ducks. Ryan Kesler scored the lone goal on a nice set up in front from Jakob Silfverberg on a power play. He was their best forward scoring four times in the first round series. Ultimately, Pekka Rinne still has something left, making 36 saves including 14 in a hectic third period. His defense was fully committed with captain Shea Weber and partner Roman Josi (seven blocks) doing their part. It included the play of the forwards who all came back and made the Ducks’ life a living hell. If only that Perry deflection hadn’t gone off Rinne and the goalpost. He had so many chances, it’s sad.

-The Preds move on thanks to Colin Wilson emerging with a big goal and helping set up vet Paul Gaustad’s redirect of a Weber point shot for a 2-0 lead late in the second period. Nashville gave Anaheim plenty of opportunities on the power play. It took a perfect play down low for Kesler to finally beat Rinne cutting it to 2-1 at 1:45 of the third. Despite plenty of looks including a second consecutive power play with Mike Fisher off for high-sticking Getzlaf, the Ducks just couldn’t get the tying goal. Perry had their best chance when he had a step on Rinne but a hustling Wilson made a great back check. There was also a two shot Perry sequence with Rinne stopping the first and then sliding over to deny a point blank rebound that was ticketed for the back of the net.

-How does one explain the Ducks? They won their one Cup nine years ago with a much younger Getzlaf and Perry teaming up with Hall of Fame defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger to finally win with Jean-Sebastien Giguere, dismantling the Senators in five. Finnish legend Teemu Selanne won his Cup along with underrated pivot Andy McDonald and Chris Kunitz was part of it. So too was Dustin Penner pre-Oilers offer sheet and pancakes. That roster was so deep featuring the checking line of Sami Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen. They were a team in every sense.

-Maybe the current batch just aren’t on the same level. Well, we know they aren’t. If your best scorer doesn’t score a goal (Perry), you don’t have a chance. Getzlaf at least had two with three helpers, tying Silfverberg for the team lead with five points. Most mystifying is that Perry (4 assists) was a minus-seven in the series. That’s hard to explain. Ditto for Getzlaf’s lazy tripping minor with five and a half minutes left. In probably the most exasperating sequence during the delayed call, the Preds went four corners keeping the puck away from attacking Ducks, killing precious time as fans booed. It was bizarre. Anaheim let them do it. Eventually, it gave Nashville a nearly full two-minute power play to kill more valuable time off.

-While one team does some soul searching in what should be a long summer, the Preds are back in the second round where they’ll meet the Sharks. Yes. One of these teams will make the Western Conference Final. And yes. Either the Blues or Stars will oppose them. Indeed, it’s a new day out West. Finally, some fresh blood. Whoever comes out on top will represent the West for the Cup.

-If you know me, you know I’m pulling for the Sharks. With favorite stars Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Brent Burns chasing Lord Stanley. Of all the players, Thornton deserves to win it the most. He is still one of the game’s best even in his mid-30’s finishing in the top five in scoring. Coached by Pete DeBoer, they’re deeper this time thanks to key additions Paul Martin strengthening the back end and Joel Ward solidifying the forwards. Plus Martin Jones was outstanding in their first round upset of the Kings, outplaying ex-teammate Jonathan Quick.

-The feeling going into the second round series between the Islanders and Lightning was Isles in six. I’m sticking with it. It has nothing to do with them getting a big 5-3 win in Game 1 on the road. But rather the idea that John Tavares is the best player in the series and ready to carry his team. With a goal and assist in the win, he continues to dominate. Even if the game-winner was one Ben Bishop should’ve had. It went short side making it 4-1 Isles, ending Bishop’s night. Bishop is one of three goalies up for the Vezina after posting a league best 2.00 GAA. The other two are favorite Braden Holtby (48 wins) and Quick, who was selected over Corey Crawford. I don’t think many realize how important Crawford is for the Blackhawks, who were a mess defensively due to a thin D corps after the big three of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarssson. Crawford only led the league in shutouts with seven. He just doesn’t get any respect.

-The Isles won due to Thomas Greiss, who again saved his team’s bacon when the Lightning made a strong push in the final period. Once Nikita Kucherov scored to cut it to 4-2, the whole game changed. Tampa spent long stretches in the Islander zone, creating dangerous chances and looks. The 30-year old Greiss was there to bail his teammates out turning aside 15 of 17 shots en route to 33 saves in a 5-3 win. He denied a Kucherov backhand stuff attempt after Valtteri Filppula made things interesting with his first cutting it to 4-3 with 2:32 left in regulation. Despite some close calls, the Isles escaped trouble with Cal Clutterbuck scoring an empty netter at 19:05 from Casey Cizikas and Calvin de Haan.

-The Isles’ fourth line had a great night with Clutterbuck drawing two penalties while Cizikas threw the weight around along with Matt Martin, causing havoc for Tampa. Against the Panthers, they were ineffective. But tonight, the cohesive trio were in the Bolts’ faces and very effective.

-It was also a game where another line contributed offensively. Coach Jack Capuano moved Shane Prince onto the second line with Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome, who dressed in injured forward Josh Bailey’s place. It was the Strome to Prince combo that doomed the Lightning late in the first that changed the game. Twice, they hooked up for huge goals which gave them three straight goals to conclude the period. First, Strome found Prince alone due to Tampa defenseman Matt Carle in no-man’s land with 2:32 left for the lead. It was with less than three seconds remaining in the period that Prince finished off another perfect Strome feed stunning the Tampa crowd. Along with Travis Hamonic beating Bishop thru the wickets, it undid a quick Bolts’ start that saw Ondrej Palat open the scoring at 3:05 from Jonathan Drouin.

-Despite the Lightning playing a better second by out-shooting the Isles 11-5, they found themselves in a three-goal hole when Tavares took a Kyle Okposo feed in transition and snapped a wrist shot that eluded Bishop for a power play goal at 8:59. That ended Bishop’s night. He allowed four goals on 13 shots, giving way to Andrei Vasilevskiy, who turned aside all eight Islander shots.

-The Isles sat back too much in the third. After a near miss by Martin, they fell into the trap of thinking the game was won. But some great fore-checking from a relentless Bolts led to Hedman and Carle setting up Kucherov at 7:41 to make it a two-goal contest. Afterwards, the reunited Triplets buzzed with one extended shift keeping a tired Isles pinned deep. Tyler Johnson, Kucherov and Palat were dangerous along with Hedman. Had they scored there, it’s doubtful the Isles hold on. They can thank Greiss for the win.

-In another scary moment, Capuano was hit by a puck at the Islanders bench. Visibly shaken up, he went back to the locker room and was attended to by the trainers. For a while, top assistant Doug Weight ran the bench along with Bob Corkum, who came out of the room to help out. Capuano didn’t return until it was a one-goal game late. Maybe he was the good luck charm. The Isles got it done with some clutch saves from Greiss and strong defense to protect the lead.

-Game 2 isn’t until Saturday. You gotta love that NBC schedule. At least the rest of the second round can start. It’s Game 1 of the Penguins and Capitals later tonight. It should be fun to see two superb teams do battle. This isn’t about Sidney Crosby vs Alex Ovechkin. But rather two well balanced teams who could be in for a long series. Originally, I took the Pens. So, I’ll stick with it. But the Caps remain the deepest team left. It should be an intriguing match-up. So, who wins the goalie match-up between Holtby and Pens’ rookie Matthew Murray? Do we see Marc-Andre Fleury at some point? Can the Caps slow down Crosby, Evgeni Malkin along with the cohesive second line of Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin? What about neutralizing Kris Letang? On the flip side, the Pens have to deal with not only the Ovechkin line with Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie but the ever dangerous second line of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky and Justin Williams. The Caps’ annoying third line of Mike Richards, Marcus Johansson and pest Tom Wilson. Jason Chimera and Jay Beagle are equally annoying. The Caps’ D is deeper featuring John Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen.

-The two Western series get going on Friday. With the Stars home for the Blues, that’ll be on first. The Sharks are the late game with home ice against the Preds. The question is do they want home ice? San Jose has been a much better road team all season, sweeping all three games at Staples Center in Round 1. Nashville also seems to prefer the road winning three of four in Anaheim. What will give?

-I took the Stars originally. So, I’ll stay with Dallas over St. Louis but it might go the distance. As for Nashville and San Jose, I really like the Sharks’ overall depth. This is their chance to get it done. I’m going Sharks in 6 over the Predators.

-As for the whole Dan Boyle vs Larry Brooks escapade, I understood Boyle’s frustration. Brooks likes to target players. He did it a lot with Boyle. The way he goes about it can antagonize anyone. It’s no wonder he had such a balmy relationship with John Tortorella. Brooks can be ornery. He doesn’t back down. Boyle made it uncomfortable for the other media members by demanding Brooks leave and using the choice, “Get the bleep out of here!”

-The real issue the media had wasn’t with the players including Dan Girardi and Marc Staal as well as how Dylan McIlrath and Oscar Lindberg were used. This was about the organization. They replaced Anton Stralman with Boyle, who according to the Daily News’ Pat Leonard, did things his own way. He was a bad fit. But that one is on Glen Sather. The same man who overpaid severely for Martin St. Louis in picks along with Ryan Callahan. It never made sense. Especially with St. Louis holding Steve Yzerman hostage. Slats also made the call on Keith Yandle. Sacrificing Anthony Duclair and more picks for a two-year rental, who will probably bolt due to the Rangers’ complete cap situation. Yandle has hinted he wants to stay. But will he give Jeff Gorton a home discount? Doubtful. Yandle is a splendid offensive defenseman who makes a great first pass. He had over 40 assists- the most from a Ranger blue liner since Brian Leetch. I would love to keep him. But at what cost? There’s no guarantee Girardi or Staal are going anywhere.

-When Girardi revealed that he had a concussion and even had concussion symptoms during Game 1, it was mind boggling. How could the coaching staff have played him when he still had a serious head injury? It’s no wonder he struggled mightily, getting beat out on an icing that led to a Pens goal. He also was victimized by Crosby on a breakaway. Is Alain Vigneault that stubborn or just plain dumb that he would rather risk Girardi’s livelihood than play McIlrath? Unbelievable.

-What I do take away from the post mortem is that there will be changes. To what extent we don’t know. Even Vigneault was uncertain if his assistants will be back. Considering the lousy job Scott Arniel and Ulf Samuelsson did, who knows. Henrik Lundqvist was as pointed as ever indicating how badly he wants to win a Stanley Cup. It’s been a decade since he took the job from Kevin  Weekes. The 34-year old now owns franchise marks in wins and shutouts as well as games played and total saves all-time as a Blueshirt. Will he ever win one here? It doesn’t look very promising.

-Eric Staal was a disaster going without a point and a minus-seven in the five-game series loss. He wasn’t utilized right by AV either. Why else would he have Staal play on the wing and not at his natural center slot? And of course Staal never saw ideal power play time either on the point or at the half wall where he’s most effective. Logic need not apply. He won’t be back.

-Ryan McDonagh had broken index finger from that blocked shot. He won’t need surgery. Marc Staal indicated that he was actually healthy. So, that’s good. Lundqvist also admitted that his eye didn’t bother him. He just got beat. If there is any consolation, it’s that the vets are mostly healthy and will have more time to recover. Of course, that wasn’t the case for Girardi, who admitted he would’ve taken more time off for his knee which he missed six games for. I really wonder what will be with him. He’s an old 31.

-Dominic Moore is likely done. He was a solid citizen here playing a key role in the 2014 run to the Stanley Cup Final. Dom got underneath Crosby’s skin in the second round comeback from 3-1 down and of course was the recipient of a Brian Boyle pass from behind the net for the only finish in a 1-0 shutout in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final over the Canadiens. A moment I will never forget. The loudest I’ve ever heard MSG. Moore isn’t the same player. He won’t be re-signed. I wouldn’t mind keeping Viktor Stalberg, who would like to return. But wonder if they’ll have the money for him. So much attention will be focused on Group II’s Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller and Hayes. Plus Yandle, who is unrestricted July 1.

-In a way, I’m glad there’s no more season. I didn’t enjoy watching this team. They weren’t a tough minded group and didn’t play the kind of hockey needed to seriously compete. They must get back to a consistent fore-check instead of relying on their skating and skill. There needs to be a better work ethic. Too much attention was focused on offense at the expense of defense. The lack of adjustments with an ineffective man-to-man in which forwards didn’t rotate down resulted in many goals against and danger chances hanging out Lundqvist to dry. Defense must be prioritized. The 2015-16 New York Rangers lost their identity. They must regain it back.

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Tavares’ goal in double overtime leads Islanders to second round

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Derek
John Tavares.jpg

Tavares Does It! A pumped up John Tavares celebrates his series winner that came in double overtime finally leading the Islanders to their first second round appearance since 1993. The Isles defeated the Panthers 2-1 in Game 6 to win a great first round series. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens/Getty Images

For over two decades, Islanders fans waited for this moment. That it came from the captain was fitting. In 2009, John Tavares was selected first overall by the franchise. They needed a superstar player who could bring them back to the glory days. It took a while. But in his seventh year, Tavares scored the tying and overtime winner to send the Isles to the second round for the first time since 1993.

On a night in which another former number one pick of the franchise, Roberto Luongo was brilliant making 49 saves, the Islanders needed to pull brilliant goalie Thomas Greiss for an extra attacker to get the game tied. On a brilliant rush by defenseman Nick Leddy, he set up Nikolay Kulemin for a shot that Luongo looked to have covered. But the puck wasn’t and Tavares scored the tying goal with 54 seconds left in regulation to end Luongo’s shutout bid. He shut them out in Game 4.

With Barclays Center going crazy, it would be the third game of the first round series against the Panthers that would need sudden death to decide a winner. Luck had been on their side. The Isles prevailed in the previous two on winners from Thomas Hickey in Game 3 and unsung hero Alan Quine in Game 5. This one would go the distance.

For a second straight game, the Panthers and Islanders needed double overtime. For the Isles, they certainly had their chances in the first extra session. They out-shot the Panthers 15-8. The difference was the brilliant goaltending of Luongo, who saved his best for last. He really deserved a shutout. But he couldn’t control the rebound of that Kulemin point blank try that resulted in Tavares’ fourth of the series at 19:06 of the third period.

After looking tentative in the first OT, the Panthers came out more aggressive. Looking to end it and send the series back to Florida for a deciding Game 7, they nearly ended it in the first couple of minutes. Ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr, who was stifled by Greiss in the first OT, nearly set up the winner with Jonathan Huberdeau having a great chance thwarted. Reilly Smith hit the crossbar. Florida made a good push in the first half of the second overtime but were unable to get that second one past Greiss, who finished with 41 saves.

In what turned out to be the best series of the opening round, the teams battled until Tavares made a great play to finally get his team over a 23-year hump. On a fore-check from Quine and Okposo, he took one low shot that forced Luongo to make a difficult stop. The rebound caromed out to Tavares, who had the presence of mind to carry the puck behind the net, spin off Aaron Ekblad and in one motion score a backhand wraparound goal for the emotional series clincher at 90:41 of sudden death.

It sent Barclays Center into pandemonium. Jubilant Islanders poured off the bench to congratulate their captain on just a brilliant play by a very skilled star player, who wouldn’t be denied. Like his team, he had suffered first round disappointments before against Pittsburgh and Washington. This time, the 25-year old from Mississauga, Ontario who stardom was predicted for wouldn’t be denied. He was the hero on a memorable night in downtown Brooklyn with his game-winner giving the Islanders a hard fought first round win over the Panthers.

Now, it’s onto Round Two where a battle tested Lightning await in Tampa, Florida. So, the Islanders’ path remains similar. They’ll again face a team from the Sunshine State. In the more experienced Lightning, who disposed of the Red Wings in five despite no Steven Stamkos or Anton Stralman, it should be an even tougher test. The Bolts went all the way to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Blackhawks. They still are quite formidable thanks to star defenseman Victor Hedman, goalie Ben Bishop and proven playoff scorers Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn.

For now, the Islanders will enjoy their first playoff win since ’93. That year, a underdog team guided by all-time great Hall Of Famer Al Arbour made it all the way to the Wales Conference Final before falling to eventual champ Montreal in five games. It’s fitting that in a season where they honored Arbour, who passed away last summer, that they’re finally back in the second round.

It almost had to wait two days. Credit the Panthers for playing a very good Game 6 for nearly a full 60 minutes. They minimized the Islanders’ chances. The only goal came off the stick of Huberdeau, who pulled off a slick move and sweet finish to beat Greiss with 1:02 left in the first period. His first of the series came from Vincent Trocheck and Jussi Jokinen.

Luongo really stood tall in the second and third periods. He was really on turning aside all 10 Islander shots in the second to preserve a one-goal lead entering the final stanza. In particular, his rebound control was excellent. He made the saves and didn’t allow the bad rebounds that had plagued him earlier in the series.

In the third, the Isles kept up the pressure. In search of the equalizer, Luongo kept them off the scoreboard for most of the period. It’s also worth noting that Greiss did a great job stifling the Panthers on 13 shots to give his team a chance to tie it.

That would prove crucial. With coach Jack Capuano finally getting Greiss to the bench for an extra attacker, the Isles found a way to force OT. On what was just a great rush by a determined Leddy, he carried the puck end to end before sending a backhand in front for Kulemin, who got off a tough low shot. For a moment, it looked like Luongo had it. But before you blinked, there was Tavares depositing the loose puck into an open net for the game-tying goal at 19:06 of the third.

The sellout crowd of 15,795 who had screamed all night for something positive to happen finally had their moment to go wild. As a smiling Tavares was greeted by pleased teammates at the bench, the enthusiastic Islander crowd chanted, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” They weren’t going home disappointed. There would be another overtime.

The Isles really dictated the first OT in shots and chances. But despite a 15-8 edge, they couldn’t beat Luongo. That’s how good he was. He really played great and probably deserved a better fate. How many more chances will the proud 37-year old veteran get? He certainly had a solid series finishing with a 2.05 goals-against-average and .934 save percentage. But it wasn’t to be against the franchise that took him in the first round fourth overall in the ’97 Draft.

It was then GM Mike Milbury who mistakenly traded him to Florida in the 2000 NHL Draft with Olli Jokinen for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. He gambled on Rick DiPietro first overall but injuries and a long-term contract killed a promising career. Ironically, he now is a radio star hosting a show on ESPN Radio and an Islanders TV analyst between periods on MSG-Plus.

After a strong start by the Panthers to extend the series in the second OT, it was Tavares who made the defining play of his career. On a nice set up from Okposo, he got to his own rebound and circled around the net to beat Luongo for a backhand stuff in at 10:41 of the second overtime (90:41). It was his team-leading fifth of the series. The franchise center led all scorers with nine points (5-4-9) in the Isles’ first round win. Smith, who torched the Isles early, paced the Panthers with eight points (4-4-8). They all came in the first three games. He was shut out the final three.

As for Jagr, the 44-year old legendary future Hall of Famer still couldn’t find the back of the net. Despite having some good chances and moments, he finished with two assists. It just wasn’t to be for number 68, who has now gone 37 straight playoff games without a goal. After leading the Panthers in scoring with a jaw dropping 66 points in the regular season, Jagr will likely continue. He’s still a very effective player on the fore-check. His effort in both ends was exceptional. It’s astonishing that the fifth overall pick in the famed ’90 Draft is still playing at a high level. Hopefully, he’ll return for another year with a good Panthers team with a bright future.

This moment is about the Islanders and their captain. Tavares has never been past the first round. In their biggest game with a chance to clinch, he delivered. Now, one of the game’s brightest stars gets a bigger stage in a Conference Semifinal match-up against a well coached Tampa club, who knows what it takes this time of year. It pits the pesky Jon Cooper against Capuano, who also got over the hump with a much needed first round triumph.

It’s also about a 30-year old career backup in Greiss, who starred in a starting role by winning his first playoff series with a 1.79 GAA and .944 save percentage. Remarkable stuff from the German goalie who was signed by general manager Garth Snow as insurance for Jaroslav Halak. Instead, he became pretty valuable winning 23 games during the season and taking over with Halak out with a groin injury.

The Islanders now advance to the second round. They’ll wait for the first round to conclude. We already know the match-ups in the East. A Caps’ hard fought 1-0 shutout win in Game 6 finally dismissed the pesky Flyers earlier on Sunday. Washington will meet the Pens for the first time since ’09, pitting Alex Ovechkin vs Sidney Crosby for the second time. The Isles will start against the Bolts either on Thursday or Saturday in Tampa.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Thomas Greiss, Islanders (41 saves incl. 25/25 in 2nd and 3rd to give team a chance)

2nd Star-Roberto Luongo, Panthers (49 saves incl. 15/15 in 1st OT-tremendous in losing effort)

1st Star-John Tavares, NY Islanders (2 goals-4, 5, tying goal at 19:06 of 3rd, scored at 90:41 of sudden death to send team to second round for first time since ’93)

Notes: The final three games of the series all resulted in 2-1 scores. That’s how close it was between the evenly matched teams, who gave a great show. Total goals in series: Islanders-15 Panthers-14 … Shot attempts favored the Isles 99-84. … The teams combined for 41 blocked shots and 49 missed shots. … Islanders won the face-off battle 52-44 led by who else but Tavares (18-and-13). Derek MacKenzie paced the Panthers going 12-and-6. … Islanders did it mostly with 11 forwards due to an injury that caused Josh Bailey (4:24-7 shifts) to leave during the first. … Ryan Strome was a healthy scratch for a second game in a row. Steve Bernier skated in his place logging 28 shifts (16:03).

Total ice-times:

Isles-Nick Leddy (39:12), Travis Hamonic (39:06), John Tavares (34:49) and Kyle Okposo (34:23)

Panthers-Erik Gudbranson (34:56), Aleksander Barkov (34:50), Brian Campbell (33:08) and Jonathan Huberdeau (32:43)

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Brooklyn is ready to celebrate

Posted on April 24, 2016 by Derek

When the puck drops at Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn at the Atlantic Avenue subway station, the Islanders have a chance to wrap up their first round series against the Panthers.

It’s been 23 years since the franchise advanced out of the first round. You have to go all the way back to 1993 for the last time the Islanders made a playoff run. That team made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. After defeating the Capitals in a six game series best remembered for Dale Hunter’s cheap shot on goalscorer Pierre Turgeon, the ’92-93 Islanders stunned the two-time defending champion Penguins, taking the Patrick Division Final in seven games on David Volek’s overtime winner.

A team that featured Turgeon, Ray Ferraro, Darius Kasparaitis, Vladimir Malakhov, Uwe Krupp, Steve Thomas, Derek King, Benoit Hogue, Patrick Flatley and Glenn Healy made it all the way to the Wales Conference Finals. But their luck ran out against eventual Stanley Cup champ Montreal, who ousted them in five games with two needing overtime with the Habs winning both.

Fast forward two decades later and the Islanders no longer play at Nassau Coliseum. Instead, Long Island’s team is now in Brooklyn with a chance to finally exorcise some demons by advancing to the second round. In its inaugural season at Barclays Center, the Isles can make history tonight if they can eliminate the Panthers in Game 6 of Round One. The building will be rocking. The “Yes! Yes! Yes” chants will be loud.

The Isles are here after Alan Quine became the answer to a trivia question by scoring a power play goal in double overtime to beat the Panthers in Game 5. It was the second longest playoff game in Islanders’ franchise history. Quine’s goal came at the 96-minute mark of sudden death from Marek Zidlicky and Game 3 OT hero Thomas Hickey. Quine is used on the top line by coach Jack Capuano and plays on the second power play unit. A 23-year old who only played two NHL games- both with the Isles scoring once- Quine is a great story. Originally taken by the Red Wings in the third round of 2011, he went back in the 2013 Draft and the Islanders took him in Round 6. Now, he has the biggest goal of the series.

The Islanders aren’t here without the clutch play of Thomas Greiss. Signed by GM Garth Snow as a backup for Jaroslav Halak, the 30-year old journeyman has stepped in as the number one goalie with Halak sidelined. After winning 23 games, he’s been sensational outplaying Roberto Luongo. He’s 3-2-0 with a 2.09 goals-against-average and a .938 save percentage.

If they get it done, it’ll be a celebration in Brooklyn for Islander fans. Long overdue. It starts now!

 

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Much better Penguins send Rangers packing

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Derek
Beaten Lundqvist.jpg

Beaten Henrik: Henrik Lundqvist admitted that “he didn’t have it in him to make the big difference” the final two games of a disappointing five-game first round series loss to a much better Penguins, who outplayed the Rangers badly. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

It’s finally over. The much better team prevailed in what turned into a total mismatch. The Penguins got revenge for the last two years by advancing over the Rangers in five games. They did it by winning the final three games. Congrats to them. They advance to the second round and await the winner between the Flyers and Capitals.

Pittsburgh won Game 5 over the Rangers 6-3 before a sellout crowd of 18,607 at CONSOL Energy Center. Coach Mike Sullivan’s team did it with speed and tenacity, completely outplaying Alain Vigneault’s club, who didn’t play the right way all season. Instead, falling into the same bad habits that plagued them throughout the 87 total games they played. For a team that once was viewed as a Stanley Cup contender, it was a bitter end. A wake up call to the organization who must make changes.

As for the game, Vigneault decided to dress both Dan Girardi and Raphael Diaz while sitting proud 39-year old veteran Dan Boyle, who may have played his last game Thursday. In reinserting Girardi and playing Diaz for the first time all season, Vigneault opted to go with seven defensemen and 11 forwards. Even with a good start with a Girardi shot deflecting off Nash in front only 62 seconds in for an early lead, it didn’t matter.

The Pens were resilient. Twice, they came right back from one-goal deficits to tie the score. Former Ranger Carl Hagelin got behind Derek Stepan for an easy tap in from Phil Kessel and Nick Bonino at 9:50. His speed completely obliterated Kevin Klein and Stepan, who let Hagelin go to the net right next to Henrik Lundqvist for his first of the postseason. The lack of attention to detail that occurred under this coaching staff all year.

Dominic Moore had a bit of puck luck when a Jesper Fast shot took a weird deflection off Viktor Stalberg and then Moore’s skate past winning rookie goalie Matt Murray for the Rangers’ second lead less than a minute later. Unfortunately, rookie Brady Skjei took an ill advised boarding minor which led directly to an unscreened Kessel shot from the right circle getting through Lundqvist. He again didn’t play well, allowing six goals on 23 shots. Sadly, he was pulled for the second time in the series. The other instance in Game 1, he came out due to a right eye injury.

After a solid first period in which they out-shot the Pens 14-11 and out-chanced them, the Rangers imploded. An awful second was their undoing. In the period, they were outscored 4-0. That was despite the shots being 12-11 in favor of Pittsburgh. They beat Lundqvist four times on a dozen shots. Sloppy turnovers and defense were a recurring theme.

Keith Yandle’s failed clear attempt resulted in the Pens keeping the puck in. Eventually, Trevor Daley found a wide open Bryan Rust in front for another tap in, giving them the lead at 5:21. On the play, Yandle went with a Pen to the point which meant a forward was supposed to rotate down. No one did making it an easy goal. It only became worse. Derick Brassard had an awful game. After turning the puck over, his giveaway led to Rust setting up Matt Cullen for a wrist shot that beat Lundqvist high glove for a 4-2 lead at 9:26.

The Rangers didn’t give up in terms of creating offense. They took enough shots on Murray forcing him to come up with big saves unlike the last two starts. The 21-year old rookie was equal to the task shutting everything down en route to 38 saves- improving to 3-0-0 in his first postseason. With the team so focused on offense, they forgot about defense. The end result was ugly.

With Marc Staal struggling to get back, Sidney Crosby raced down the ice before dishing off for an open Connor Sheary, who picked high glove on Lundqvist for a three-goal lead with 3:42 left. Adding insult to injury, the Pens scored another goal in the final minute of the period. After Dan Girardi got caught up ice, Evgeni Malkin flew down and found an open Rust for another unscreened shot that beat Lundqvist top shelf- making it 6-2 with 59 seconds remaining.

Antti Raanta finally replaced Lundqvist at the start of the third. In his third appearance of the series, he didn’t have much to do stopping all five shots. Sadly, he was better than Lundqvist in relief. This isn’t all on the prideful goalie who obviously didn’t have a good series. He looked mentally exhausted. Perhaps all the games played and shots faced along with the ridiculous danger chances finally caught up to the 34-year old Swede. Lundqvist should play less games next season. He started 65.

Lundqvist was very honest to MSG’s John Giannone in the post game. He admitted that he didn’t have it in him to make the big saves the final two games. He also spoke about the chances the team gave up. An indictment of the style of play they played throughout the season and in this series. Calling it “embarrassing,” giving up the four goals in the second, he gave credit to the Pens who “were better and smarter.”

“I didn’t have it in me to make a difference,” Lundqvist told reporters. “It’s painful.”

That pretty much sums up everything. The goalie finally had the chance to say what we’ve all felt this disappointing season.

To their credit, the Blueshirts gave a honest effort in the last period of the season. Diaz had his shot deflected by Chris Kreider in front for a power play goal at 5:38 that made it 6-3 in the third. Only their second PPG of the series. I think they wound up 2-for-19. The Pens had 8 PPG’s and were superior killing penalties. They won at special teams and at even strength. Even goaltending. The better team.

In the end, the ’15-16 New York Rangers weren’t good enough. There are many reasons why. I think in seeing NBC cut away from the traditional handshake, it was a perfect way for it to finish. An awful job by the NHL’s network not showing the whole handshake. Brutal. Also how I’d describe the ugly hockey we got from this team.

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Elimination Day: Rangers look to turn back the clock

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Derek

Since that awful 5-0 humiliation in Game 4 that put the Rangers in this mess, I haven’t bothered posting anything. I was too upset with the lack of commitment from this experienced team. In less than half an hour, the moment of truth arrives for what’s been a puzzling inconsistent team against a much improved Penguins, who look to wrap up the first round rematch in five games.

The Blueshirts have been here the past two years. In defeating the Pens and Caps back-to-back Springs, they became the only team in NHL history to rally from 3-1 deficits in two straight postseasons. Both came in the second round. This time, it’s round one. A worse predicament when you look at how well the Pens are playing. Sidney Crosby has done whatever he’s wanted. Evgeni Malkin woke up destroying them with two power play goals and two assists after his coach Mike Sullivan benched him in a Game 3 win.

Can you imagine Alain Vigneault doing that to any star player when his team is winning? We know the answer. Vigneault has decided Dan Boyle won’t play. So, Thursday’s debacle might have been his final game of a brilliant career. Kevin Hayes isn’t returning to the lineup either. I guess it took until the first three games of the playoffs for the coach to sour on the wildly inconsistent yet talented play making second-year forward. So much for his Corsi/Fenwick and chances created.

It’ll either be Dan Girardi or Raphael Diaz as the sixth defenseman. Well, it looks like it’ll be Girardi returning from his “everything” injury following a awful Game 1. He might even pair up with rookie Brady Skjei. I don’t know what that means for the other pairings ‘if’ true. Maybe Vigneault will just throw everything aside and have Keith Yandle play with Ryan McDonagh. Who am I kidding.

Update: Actually, it’ll be both. AV has decided to go with seven defensemen and 11 forwards. So, both Girardi and Diaz are dressed. Diaz will get power play time. Girardi mostly penalty kill and some shifts at even strength. By going with 11 forwards, that means he has thrown out his “roll 4 lines” failed strategy. It’s about the top three lines and this strategy I suggested:

The lines have been altered. Vigneault has decided to move Jesper Fast up to the top line with Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider. They had success last year in the 3-1 comeback against the Caps. Not sure I agree. But by doing that, he’s created better balance for the top nine. Mats Zuccarello rejoins Derick Brassard and Rick Nash. Eric Staal gets real linemates in Oscar Lindberg and J.T. Miller. If he wants to extend the season, it’s advisable for AV to play the top three lines as much as possible. That means double shifting his best players. Shorten the bench.

As for the fourth line, Dominic Moore has been ineffective and looks old in this series. Tanner Glass has done his job but that doesn’t mean a whole lot because the team isn’t scoring. Viktor Stalberg rounds it out. I wouldn’t play the checking line more than 12 shifts. It’s about scoring early and getting to Matt Murray. If they don’t, you can forget about it.

Lastly and most importantly, Henrik Lundqvist needs a bounce back game. He can’t look mentally exhausted like Game 4. He is the best player on the team. He’s done it before to the Pens. Either he resembles the proven 34-year old with the track record or the season ends.

Here are my 3 key Rangers for winning Game 5 and saving their season:

1.Derick Brassard-absent last 2 games. He must score a big goal and be involved.

2.Chris Kreider-when he’s on, he impacts the game. Must hit the net and be on score sheet.

3.Rick Nash-I’ve felt he’s been our best forward. Needs to be the guy today.

Well, they drop the puck in 10 minutes or 15 or whatever because it’s NBC. We’ll see if your boys show up. It’s only their season on the line. Will they show urgency?

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Passionless hockey at MSG in Game 4

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Derek

For all intents and purposes, the Rangers have given up. That much is apparent watching Game 4 of this now one-sided first round series against a much better and well executed Penguins. After two periods, the Booshirts (Blueshirts) are trailing the Pens 4-0 on home ice.

In a game they have to have, the Rangers simply have not brought it. They have been badly out-skated and severely outplayed by a much more focused Pens. Full credit to them. After how they dominated the third period in a 3-1 win in Game 3, they came out and absolutely blanketed a lifeless Rangers.

It really cannot be explained. When even Henrik Lundqvist looks emotionless allowing momentum shifting and backbreaking goals, what else can be said? Only 67 seconds in, he allowed an awful rebound with immortal checker Eric Fehr scoring for the game’s first goal. A tone setter that definitely deflated Lundqvist’s teammates. Ben Lovejoy fired a routine low shot from way out and he couldn’t control the rebound. Fehr beat J.T. Miller for the goal.

The Pens have dominated. They kept cycling the puck with their superior speed and firing shots away on a shaky Lundqvist, who was leaking bad rebounds. Honestly, this is one of the worst games I’ve ever seen from him. Usually unflappable, he looked like he didn’t care. A sad observation. He was still making saves but just didn’t seem all there. That’s how I would explain what we’ve seen from all 18 skaters too. They’re so disjointed.

This has been coming for a while. It’s been noticeable all season. The disconnect between the players and coach. A coach who panicked bringing Ryan McDonagh back early from a broken right hand, when he clearly isn’t close to 100 percent. I still can’t explain why Alain Vigneault didn’t stick with the Game 2 lineup that included Dylan McIlrath after gaining a split in Pittsburgh. The Game 2 they played was excellent. Arguably one of their most complete of the season. But that’s what we’ve come to expect from a stubborn AV.

In tonight’s game, the Rangers have been undisciplined. Bad penalties have resulted in two Pittsburgh power play goals- taking advantage of a weak and inconsistent penalty killing unit. Rick Nash, who has been the best Ranger in the series, shoved down a Pen away from the puck in front of Matt Murray for no reason. The clear interference minor led to a very patient Pens moving the puck perfectly before a Evgeni Malkin point shot was double deflected by Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist for a 2-0 lead 7:11 into the contest.

Lundqvist was faultless on that one. The next one to Connor Sheary is the kind of goal you can’t give up when you’re already down two in a must win situation. Following a couple of Murray big stops, Sheary forced a turnover at the Pittsburgh blue line and came in on a breakaway beating Lundqvist badly short side. A goal you never see him give up. Especially in a big spot where he needs to have that save and get the momentum back on his team’s side.

The goal against took the MSG crowd completely out of it. You could also see that it further deflated the team. They still have tried but clearly not with the effort we’re used to seeing. Has anyone seen Derick Brassard? I’ve heard his name called but he’s done nothing tonight or in Game 3. Mats Zuccarello has also been awfully quiet. It’s just not what you’d expect.

As for Lundqvist, I would’ve pulled him after the first. He just didn’t look right. The focus was off. Did Vigneault take a timeout after falling behind three in the first? Of course not. Did he wait too long to get Lundqvist out of the game? You betcha. Another just awful minor penalty- this time from a very ineffective Dominic Moore, who painfully has looked like the worst Blueshirt- led to Malkin blasting home his first from Crosby and Hornqvist for a 4-0 cushion at the four-minute mark of the second.

Fans booed. And you know what. I might not ever boo my teams. But I don’t blame them one bit. This is one of the worst performances I can ever remember from this group. It’s like they have just thrown in the towel.

So, what’s left? They’re playing the third now. Is there any reason to expect a turnaround like we got in 2014 against the same opponent? Not this time. The Pens are clearly much better in terms of how they play under Mike Sullivan. They’re much faster, more skilled and play all three zones the way our team once did.

Is the window finally closed? It sure looks like it.

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League turns other way on Letang slash to Stalberg

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Derek

During the third period of last night’s game, the refs missed an obvious penalty on Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang. In a battle behind his net, he slashed Rangers forward Viktor Stalberg in the face. No call came. Stalberg went back to the bench to receive treatment after losing three teeth. Here is the video:

It’s not pretty. The Department of Player Safety didn’t even have a hearing with Letang for the incident. A cheap shot that should’ve been a double minor for high-sticking. Instead, the Pens’ star blue liner will not face supplementary discipline. Not even a fine folks. Puck Daddy writer Greg Wyshsynski delved a little further into the bizarre explanation as to why there was no suspension.

2. Now check the left arm of Letang on the slow-motion replay. As he absorbs the Moore hit, his left arm slams against the glass, and as it does his stick – which he’s carrying dangerously high already – snaps into the neck of Stalberg. The NHL believes his left glove or the end of his stick catches a stanchion on the glass. The hit by Moore causes him to twist and makes the stick go forward into Stalberg’s neck.

Blaming Dominic Moore for this is like the ridiculous Magic Bullet Theory from The Warren Commission on JFK. Since it is another series between the Rangers and Pens, it’s fair to bring up the Marc Staal two-hander to Sidney Crosby’s neck which didn’t merit any discipline either. At least they’re consistent.

This is the same league that only gave Pierre-Edouard Bellemare for his dirty hit from behind on a defenseless Dmitry Orlov. A check from behind that resulted in a major and game misconduct, which saw the Caps make the Flyers pay on the scoreboard with two of their five power play goals coming in a ugly 6-1 win in Game Three. Here’s the replay:

That was embarrassing for Philadelphia with its fans tossing a giveaway of Ed Snider bracelets on the ice with one even hitting Orlov as he was being treated. He’s lucky he didn’t suffer a concussion or a serious neck injury. It’s astonishing that Bellemare only got a game for that. What’s even sadder is that on a night the Flyers paid tribute to Snider, it came to a point where both Alexander Ovechkin and Wayne Simmonds pleaded with the fans to stop tossing bracelets. Even Flyers PA announcer Lou Nolan blasted the fans for their idiocy:

These are the same fans who cheered after Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik was injured on a Ryan White hit against the glass. The hit was okay but caught a prone Orpik in a bad spot. Given his concussion history, it’s not good. He had no idea where he was. But here were Flyer fans cheering an injury. Unbelievable.

This isn’t to say all their fans are bad. No fanbase is. However, the Philadelphia fan has a label for this kind of childish behavior. It’s part of their history. Some passionate Flyer fans were very disappointed by what happened at Wells Fargo Center. There are always sensible fans who don’t agree with such behavior. They should be separated.

As for the Dept. Of Player Safety doing the right thing, not in the playoffs. They don’t care. They’d rather suspend Andrew Shaw for a regrettable homophobic word said to refs in frustration in the Blackhawks’ loss to the Blues in Game 4. What a league.

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Pens take Game Three 3-1: Awful third puts Rangers in trouble

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Derek
Cullen.jpg

Matt Cullen beats Henrik Lundqvist on a breakaway for the game-winner in the Pens’ 3-1 win against a dismal Rangers in Game 3. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Normally, I would’ve had this game review done a couple of hours ago. However, after what was an awful third period, I couldn’t find the motivation to write about what I saw from this team. It was despicable. Disappointing. Uninspiring.

For two periods, the Rangers played the Pens on even terms both on the scoreboard and in style. Then came an atrocious final 20 minutes that were unexpected. How bad was it? They only managed four shots and totaled just 17 on Pittsburgh rookie Matt Murray, who needed to make 16 saves to win his NHL playoff debut. The Pens wanted it badly. They were more desperate.

Matt Cullen supplied the only goal in the third on a terrible communication breakdown between Dan Boyle and Keith Yandle, who bumped into each other- causing the game-winner with Cullen getting the better of Henrik Lundqvist on a stoppable five-hole shot for a well earned Pens’ 2-1 win in Game Three. The Pens took back home ice and now lead the best-of-seven first round series 2-1.

What that means for the Rangers is doom is around the corner. If they don’t get it together on Thursday and play a full 60 minutes or maybe more like their lives depend upon it, they could be sent packing by the weekend. The effort was there for 40 minutes. What happened afterwards was a flat out disgrace. In a tie hockey game at MSG, they again managed to look disjointed. The Pens got the only goal and dominated the entire third out-shooting the Rangers 11-4.

Here’s the ugly truth about these Rangers under coach Alain Vigneault. They have now dropped four straight postseason games on home ice. Dating back to last year’s bitter conclusion of the Eastern Conference Final in which the Lightning posted consecutive shutouts in Games 5 and 7 at The Garden, the Rangers have been outscored 6-1 in the last three losses. They have totaled one goal in nine periods at home. Unacceptable.

In fact, over the four straight home defeats, opponents have now outscored them 12-3. Even more alarming, the Rangers have failed to score over two goals in their own building over the last seven home playoff dates. The last time they reached three was all the way back on May 2, 2015 in a 3-2 win over the Caps in Game Two of last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinal.

Whether they want to admit it or not, offense has been a problem for the Blueshirts at MSG in the playoffs. Part of it is the style they play. Under Vigneault, they rely mostly on their speed and skill by scoring off the rush- utilizing the stretch pass. When it’s not working due to an opponent clogging the neutral zone as the Lightning successfully did and the Pens did tonight, the end results are ugly.

After only testing Murray with 13 shots in two periods, they barely mounted an attack in the third when all they had to do was win a period on home ice. Something they couldn’t do against the Lightning in Game 7 last year. The only offense came from Rick Nash, who was easily their best skater. His shorthanded goal at 39 seconds of the second gave them a 1-0 lead. Off some strong work from Marc Staal and Kevin Klein, Nash took a perfect Klein outlet and raced in down the left wing and fired a laser that beat Murray far side for his first of the series.

At the time, Chris Kreider was off for a silly boarding minor in the offensive zone. He was one of the more consistent forwards doing a good job physically and using his speed to create dangerous chances in transition. If only he could’ve hit the net on one. He missed the net four times with his final chance narrowly missing from the slot with over two minutes left in regulation. The Rangers didn’t get another sniff due to the Pens’ relentless checking.

Kreider also had a goal wiped out on another coach’s challenge. This one came midway through the first period. Ruled a goal on the ice, the Pens challenged for offside. Unlike the challenge they lost on Derick Brassard’s big go-ahead tally in Game 2, they won this one. At the time, the Rangers were on a four-minute power play due to a Connor Sheary double minor for high-sticking. The offside was on J.T. Miller with the video replay confirming that his skate wasn’t down.

The reversal came during the first half of the man-advantage. The Rangers managed to accomplish nothing the remaining three-plus minutes. Instead, the Pens got momentum from it. Their aggressive penalty kill took the Rangers right out of what they wanted to do. The final part was downright ugly. They couldn’t even gain the zone.

Following the kill, there was a post-whistle scrum. Four players were involved. Chris Kunitz, Kris Letang, Kevin Hayes and Viktor Stalberg all went off for roughing. Despite some open ice, neither side scored in the first with the Pens holding a 9-6 edge in shots.

The second was tighter checking. There wasn’t a lot of room on the ice. Both teams did a solid job defensively. They each did what they wanted in terms of limiting chances. The only offense came from Nash with Kreider in the penalty box. His shorthanded goal was a beauty. It was his 11th career postseason goal which came at 39 seconds of the second.

Despite limiting the Pens offensively, the Rangers were unable to get that next goal on Murray. I felt they had to get it but it never came. They were too fancy. Too many instances where they had good rushes but players passed up opportunities to shot by over passing. Dominic Moore did this a couple of times, which really annoyed me. He’s a fourth line center. If you have a chance to shoot on a 21-year old rookie goalie in his first playoff game, shoot the puck. It wasn’t only him. But he didn’t play well throughout and Vigneault kept sending him out shift after shift.

Hayes was even worse. He barely played getting fewer shifts (12) and minutes (8:27) than Tanner Glass (14 shifts-8:39). Glass was more noticeable but there’s no way Hayes should play that little. He’s part of the top nine. The second-year forward was supposed to be part of the solution on the third line with Eric Staal and Jesper Fast. But for whatever reason, Vigneault didn’t like what he saw. To be honest, they didn’t have a good game. Neither Hayes nor Staal had a shot. Fast had a couple and of course was engaged. But 16 shifts and 11:23 of ice-time is hardly enough for the hard working Swede.

Vigneault didn’t have a good night behind the bench. In a panic move, he brought back a less than 100 percent Ryan McDonagh. Why, I have no idea. I wouldn’t have rushed him back. If you gain a split the first two games, it should buy you time. I would’ve saved him for Game 4. Instead, McDonagh paired with Brady Skjei, who shifted to the right side. While his skating was fine for two periods, he couldn’t shoot the puck and took a couple of bumps from the Pens. The captain played 27 shifts delivering five hits with a minus-one rating in 22:48.

Nobody question’s McDonagh’s commitment. This is about the coach, who shows way too much loyalty to his vets. He stayed too long with Dan Girardi and now he’s basically finished. He brought back Mac Truck in a tie series when he could’ve gone back to the lineup that worked in Game 2. Was it really such a bad thing playing the bigger, more physical Dylan McIlrath? Hell. I would’ve considered dressing him over Boyle, whose brain cramp resulted in Cullen’s game-winner.

It is what it is. At the end of the day, this is who Vigneault is. A loyal coach who sticks to his guns. What does it spell for Thursday? Please don’t tell me a way below healthy Girardi or Raphael Diaz, who hasn’t played an NHL game all year. Just keep Skjei in. Let him get the experience. He was fine for two periods but struggled in the third. For the night, he received 24 shifts and was even in 19:53.

I didn’t quite get why Vigneault flipped Skjei back to the left side to work with Kevin Klein, who didn’t have it. He then had McDonagh with Marc Staal, which makes no sense at all. Speaking of Staal, it wasn’t his night. He took two penalties with a lazy second one costing the Rangers dearly.

Still nursing a one-goal lead with nothing happening, Staal reached out and hooked down Carl Hagelin with one minute remaining in the second. Hagelin gave Staal a shove. These two are friends but there are no friends at this time of year. Hagelin had nowhere to go. The needless penalty proved costly. It took the Pens all of 18 seconds to score with Sidney Crosby scoring his usual skilled deflection off the stick on a backdoor feed from Phil Kessel, who remarkably has been their best forward. An ineffective Evgeni Malkin earned the secondary helper. He has looked out of sorts and only played a shade over 13 minutes.

So, instead of going to the locker room with a one-goal lead, the Rangers were tied. They once again allowed a goal in the final minute of the period. On Crosby’s tally, he beat McDonagh for the nifty redirect for his second of the series. Nobody is better than that than him. Boy, did it come at a bad time. It took the crowd right out of it.

In the third, the refs let some stuff go. That included an undetected Kris Letang two-hander to Stalberg’s face. Many fans and even bloggers complained about it. I’m not gonna. The Rangers had shown nothing on their other four power plays. They gave you zip in the third. What difference would it have made? They stunk. Plain and simple. Outworked. Outclassed. Out-hustled. Out-coached. There were zero adjustments from Vigneault until it was too late. He waits too long. It’s his MO.

That’s why I have never been a big fan of him. He did the same thing with the Canucks taking them to within a game of the Stanley Cup. We all know what happened. Vancouver lost badly to Boston getting shut out. They then had some very disappointing early exits in which they failed to score. The same thing seems to be happening under Vigneault here.

Letang, who played a wonderful game aside from the missed slash- potted the empty netter with 13 seconds remaining. The Rangers never came close after pulling Lundqvist. It was a hockey clinic by the Pens under coach Mike Sullivan. That’s why they’re up in the series.

I hope they prove me wrong. Game 4 is a must win. This isn’t 2014. There is no Martin St. Louis to rally around. If they don’t bring it tomorrow, they’ll be booking tee times by Sunday.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Kris Letang, Pens (empty net goal-1st of series, 8 shot attempts, 2 takeaways, 4 blocked shots in 29 shifts-26:32 including 22:07 ES, 2:18 PP, 2:07 SH)

2nd Star-Rick Nash, NYR (shorthanded goal-1st of series, sweet finish-played well, +1 in 26 shifts-18:26)

1st Star-Matt Cullen, Pens (breakaway winner at 4:16 was the difference-at 39 he still turns on the after burners, +2 in 24 shifts-14:01)

Notes: Total shots favored the Pens 31-17. A wide margin that just never should happen in such a critical situation. Pittsburgh out-attempted the Rangers 58-42. … The Rangers tried to play physical again out-hitting the Pens 41-30. But some of it was ineffective due to the Pens’ speed. The Pens hit back and played tougher than Game 2. … Blocked shots favored the Blueshirts 19-15. Nash led the way with three. … In an oddity, Marc Staal only saw the ice for 12:56 in 22 shifts. Vigneault went mostly with McDonagh, Yandle (21:54) and Klein (20:22). Skjei and Boyle (18:05) saw more time with the team searching for offense. … The Pens edged the Rangers on face-offs 25-22 led by Crosby (10-and-6). Moore led the Blueshirts going 7-and-3. Outside of that, he struggled yet got 12:23 in 15 shifts. It didn’t make sense. … Game 4 is Thursday night at 7 PM. … We’ll see what they’re made out of.

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Vigneault plays guessing game on McDonagh

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Derek
Ryan McDonagh celebrates his power play goal with Mats Zuccarello and Keith Yandle. It proved to be the game-winner in the Rangers’ 2-1 win over the Pens in Game 1. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Following their 4-2 win in Game 2 that evened the first round series against the Penguins, the Rangers host the Pens at MSG for Game 3 later tonight. After getting strong performances throughout the lineup including rookies Brady Skjei and Dylan McIlrath, coach Alain Vigneault is playing a guessing game with the media.

Injured captain Ryan McDonagh skated Monday. When asked if he could be available after practicing yesterday, Vigneault said, “I would say it’s doubtful, but stranger things have happened before.”

Since blocking a Brandon Dubinsky shot on April 4 at Columbus, McDonagh has been out with a broken right hand. After missing the first two games against Pittsburgh, he practiced in a regular jersey at the Rangers’ optional skate this morning. Also on were McIlrath, Hartford recall Raphael Diaz and injured Dan Girardi.

If McDonagh were to play tonight, it would be for McIlrath, who Vigneault limited to 17 shifts and less than 10 minutes on Saturday. He showed more confidence in Skjei, who logged over 19 minutes in 28 shifts and was impressive even taking some shifts on the right side. Could the 22-year old rookie shift over to the right so McDonagh can play his natural left position? At this point, no one knows for sure if the Ranger captain is returning.

Updating the story, McDonagh will meet with team doctors before the Rangers make a final decision. Assuming he can’t go, it would make sense for Vigneault to stick with the same lineup that had success in Game 2. They were a much more together lineup that made the Pens pay the price. The Rangers finished every check registering 57 hits to the Pens’ 25 in a throwback performance to when current Pens’ coach Mike Sullivan was an assistant under John Tortorella. It’s that kind of ugly style they must play to win this series. It must be won in the trenches.

There was much more of a willingness to take the body. When even Derick Brassard is registering seven hits and Mats Zuccarello has six, you know what time it is. Not coincidentally, both were much better with Brassard notching a goal and assist while Zuccarello tallied the game-winner. Tanner Glass recorded seven hits and continues to be a effective player on the fourth line, fitting in with the pesky Viktor Stalberg and steady Dominic Moore.

While Vigneault plays games with which defenseman will dress tonight, Sullivan plays his own with which goalie will start. Jeff Zatkoff went the first two doing alright in gaining a split. But he’s the third stringer who the Rangers finally got to scoring three times within a 4:14 span late in the second period. After an impressive 35-save performance winning Game 1, Zatkoff stopped 24 of 28 shots in the Game 2 loss. He was the first goalie off at the Pens team practice.

That doesn’t mean he’ll start. Rookie Matt Murray returned to practice. Sullivan hinted that “he is an option for tonight.” If he’s ready, it would make sense given Pittsburgh’s situation. Murray went 9-2-1 in 13 starts posting a 2.00 goals-against-average, .930 save percentage with one shutout. The 21-year old goalie has never faced the Rangers. His last start came on Apr. 9 at the Flyers in which he departed early due to a head injury.

As for Marc-Andre Fleury, he still hasn’t been medically cleared. The Pens’ number one goalie certainly is missed. He performed well against the Rangers winning his final three starts against them, allowing six goals on 82 shots (2.00 GAA, 927 save percentage). He started all four games against them going 3-1-0 permitting only eight goals on 103 shots (2.00, .922).

The cat and mouse game between Vigneault and Sullivan is normal this time of year. Sullivan one upped Vigneault in Game 1 by making it look like Fleury was starting. The Rangers prepared for Fleury but got Zatkoff and lost. It is a bit frustrating because it makes the media’s job harder and also keeps bloggers guessing. Almost like gamesmanship in tennis. Any little edge you can get on your opponent.

What will definitely happen is Game 3 at The Garden. Face off is after 7 PM. John Amirante won’t be singing the anthem. I’m holding out hope he will for Thursday night when we go.

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NHL Playoffs: Pearson’s overtime winner gets Kings back in series

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Derek
Anze Kopitar

Anze Kopitar celebrates his tying goal against the Sharks in Game 3. Tanner Pearson won it at 3:47 of overtime to get the Kings back in the first round series. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez/Getty Images

When it comes down to it, nobody has more lives than the Los Angeles Kings. If you draw them in the playoffs, you better bury them when you have the chance. After taking the first two games in Hollywood, the San Jose Sharks knew they had a golden opportunity to put LA down in a 3-0 hole. Even though they played well enough, it was the Kings that got off the mat thanks to Tanner Pearson’s overtime winner for a hard fought 2-1 win in Game 3 of the first round series.

The Kings played their best game of the series against their California rival. Like the first two games, they fell behind early. In fact, it was the game’s opening shift where Joe Thornton beat Jonathan Quick only 30 seconds in to get the Shark Tank rocking. But that was the only shot that beat the former Conn Smythe winner. In typical fashion, the clutch American netminder slammed the door shut to finish with 29 saves. None bigger than his nerve racking stop on Joonas Donskoi moments before Pearson’s winner at 3:47 of sudden death.

When the chips are down, Quick becomes the toughest goalie to beat in a big spot. We saw him do it countless times in the Kings’ run to their second Stanley Cup in 2014. He stepped up against the Sharks after a subpar first three games. So did his teammates. As Quick goes, so does LA. They have other great players including Anze Kopitar, who scored his first of the series to tie the score at 8:10 of the first on a great Milan Lucic feed in front. Drew Doughty was over 30 minutes before overtime. The best overall defenseman in the league finished with 35:01 in a mesmerizing 45 shifts, which included four hits and five blocked shots.

With the game still tied in a tightly contested third, the Kings pulled out all the stops. A bad Lucic penalty (slashing) nearly derailed them. The Sharks power play was so dominant that they had the Kings four-man penalty killing unit on its heels for the whole two minutes. However, despite great passing and set ups, they were unable to beat Quick, who made a diving sprawl to deny a bid. His exhausted penalty killers sacrificed their bodies blocking shots and forcing Sharks’ misses.

As a team, LA blocked 27 shots led by Doughty’s five and partner Jake Muzzin’s four. San Jose also had 17 missed shots, meaning that 44 of their 74 attempts didn’t reach the net. The Sharks out-attempted the Kings 74-58 but only held a 30-24 edge in shots. The Kings used two big penalty kills to escape trouble in the third. That included a Pearson delay of game minor with under six minutes left in regulation. Poetically, he would win the game.

Following an unsure Quick, who didn’t realize he had Donskoi’s shot for a big save, the Kings’ third line forced a turnover at the San Jose blue line. Vinny Lecavalier’s back check forced a turnover. Dustin Brown then came in and leveled Donskoi, allowing Pearson to get a step on a quick exiting Logan Couture for a break in. His quick snapshot beat Martin Jones five-hole to give the Kings a much needed win. Brown and Lecavalier assisted.

The Kings are back in the series. Of course they are. They are Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers combined. You have to kill them. Now, the Sharks must rebound in Game 4. The road team has won all three games. San Jose doesn’t want to go back to Staples Center with the series tied. That would not be positive for a fragile team that doesn’t have the best reputation.

Sure. It’s a different team and year. With key additions Paul Martin, Joel Ward and Roman Polak, the Sharks are more battle tested. They also have a new coach who’s had success before. Pete DeBoer took the 2012 Devils to the Stanley Cup Final. Having a different voice in the locker room should help.

Ultimately, it will come down to the execution. They were plenty good enough to win tonight. It just didn’t happen. Quick wouldn’t allow it. Neither would his teammates, who were in desperation mode. Now, they get a day off before a big Game 4 Wednesday night.

If it’s anything like this one, get yer popcorn ready.

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