Lightning forward Brian Boyle out for Game 1

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Derek

There’s one change for the Lightning entering today’s big Game 1 against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final. They’ll be without ex-Blueshirt Brian Boyle. He’s day-to-day with an injury after not taking warm ups.

Boyle is a reliable two-way checking center who is strong on faceoffs and kills penalties. He always steps it up in the playoffs. So, he’ll be missed by Tampa. Vladislav Namestnikov draws in. Jonathan Marchessault is also in for the Bolts. His second straight postseason game after playing Game 6 last round.

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Series Preview: Rangers face familiar foe in Lightning

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Derek

The waiting is over. Following two days off in the aftermath of an emotional Game 7 second round win over the Caps thanks to Derek Stepan’s overtime heroics and Henrik Lundqvist’s brilliant goaltending, the Rangers are set to face a familiar foe in the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. The fun starts today for a Game 1 at MSG on NBC at 1 PM.

Let’s delve into the match-ups.

FORWARDS: The Rangers likely will be without Mats Zuccarello again. He’s started light workouts but it doesn’t sound optimistic. They’re led by center tandem Stepan and Derick Brassard who are tied for the team lead with eight points. Rick Nash (2-5-7) is third. Is this the series he breaks out? Chris Kreider has been money scoring four of his five goals in Round 2. Martin St. Louis faces his former team. How will he respond to Alain Vigneault’s benching. Despite three helpers last round, he’s still without a goal in 12. J.T. Miller saw time on the top line. He set up rookie Kevin Hayes’ tying power play goal. The kids stepped up. Jesper Fast had four points against Washington. Miller had assists in Games 6 and 7. Carl Hagelin was held without a goal. His speed was a factor along with faceoff specialist Dominic Moore, who moved up to center the third line. Tanner Glass and James Sheppard have been dependable.

The Lightning boast the league’s best offense. Steven Stamkos (3-7-10) is the headliner. He came to life scoring a goal in the final two games against Montreal. Coach Jon Cooper shifted him to wing with Ryan Callahan out. Callahan (appendectomy) returns because of course he would versus his ex-team. Alex Killorn (3-6-9) is a overlooked complement. What makes Tampa scary is the ‘Triplets’ line. Anchored by Conn Smythe candidate Tyler Johnson (8-4-12), they are dangerous with Nikita Kucherov finding his finishing touch by scoring six goals against the Canadiens. Ondrej Palat (3-5-8) is underrated. Their ability to skate and forecheck could pose a problem. Tampa also boasts playmaker Valtteri Filppula and familiar checking pivot Brian Boyle (32 hits, 87-and-75 on draws). He’ll be pumped for this. Cedric Paquette, J.T. Brown, Nikita Nesterov are support players. Jonathan Drouin has only gotten in three games.

Edge: Lightning

DEFENSEMEN: Ryan McDonagh anchors the best blueline that’s left of the Final Four. The Rangers captain hasn’t been great but remains a steady influence who Vigneault leans on in every situation. His Game 5 overtime winner kept the season alive following Kreider’s game-tying goal with 101 seconds left. McDonagh and partner Dan Girardi will draw the big assignment against Stamkos. If the Johnson line gives Marc Staal and Dan Boyle problems, might Vigneault switch his top tandem against them? Girardi is more needed to shadow Stamkos on the Tampa power play. Similar to Alex Ovechkin. Keith Yandle had 2 big assists during their comeback but remains shaky. Kevin Klein needs a better series. He now has seven games under his belt.

Victor Hedman is the other big name defenseman in this series. Thus far, he’s been brilliant with a goal, five helpers and a plus-seven rating. Former Blueshirt Anton Stralman has been a rock going 1-4-5, plus-four so far. Last summer, Glen Sather let Stralman walk opting for ex-Lightning ’04 Cup hero Boyle. Obviously, Stralman has more left. Braydon Coburn is physical but can be exploited. Matt Carle is a solid skating D. Andrej Sustr can be attacked. Jason Garrison has a potent shot. Their D largely depends on Hedman and Stralman. Coburn needs a good series.

Edge: Rangers

GOALIES: Henrik Lundqvist continues to amaze. Now 10-0 in the Rangers’ last 10 home elimination games and having won six straight Game 7’s, what more can be said about the franchise goalie? He’s backstopped the club to consecutive comebacks from 3-1 down. He went goal for goal against Braden Holtby allowing 12 to Holtby’s 13. He’s 8-4-0 with a 1.60 goals-against-average and .944 save percentage. He faces a stiffer challenge against some dangerous Lightning shooters.

Ben Bishop has never lost to the Rangers. He’s a perfect 8-0 in the regular season dating back to his Ottawa days. Of course, he was in for all three Lightning wins in the first half. In his first postseason, Big Ben has been tremendous posting a 1.81 GAA and a .931 save percentage with a Game 7 shutout of Detroit in Round 1. He’s a big netminder who takes up a lot of space. The Rangers must move him laterally to have success.

Edge: Rangers

COACHES: Both teams feature good coaches. The Rangers with Jack Adams candidate Alain Vigneault who after guiding them to the league’s best record, was the calming influence that kept them focused in rallying from a 3-1 second round deficit for a second consecutive year. He made some key adjustments flipping Moore and Miller while daring to bench St. Louis the final 10+ minutes of regulation for the more defensive minded and faster Miller. Vigneault is proven.

Jon Cooper is an interesting story. A former Hofstra lacrosse player who played one year of hockey, he became a lawyer before turning hockey coach. He coached high school and then in the North American Hockey League before getting his big break with the Tampa AHL affiliate Syracuse in ’11-12 guiding them to the Calder Cup. In his second full year behind the Lightning bench, he guided them to 50 wins and 108 points finishing second in the Atlantic behind Montreal. The Bolts rallied from a 3-2 deficit to beat the Red Wings in the first round and ousted the Habs in Round 2 in six.

Edge: Rangers

Series Prediction: This is too close to call. The Rangers are a different team since the Lightning last saw them in December. Hayes, Miller and Fast have emerged. St. Louis looks to be on his last legs. Yandle gives them a good pass first defenseman who can find the seams. The Lightning are deep, fast and very skilled. They pose a threat. Especially if they can get to Lundqvist. If it’s a short series, the Lightning will prevail in 6. If it goes the distance, the Rangers will win in 7.

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Smart moves by Vigneault helped Rangers advance

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Derek
Mac Delivers: Ryan McDonagh is mobbed by teammates Derek Stepan and Jesper Fast after his overtime winner kept alive the Rangers season. AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

Mac Delivers: Ryan McDonagh is mobbed by teammates Derek Stepan and Jesper Fast after his Game 5 overtime winner which kept alive the Rangers season. They would complete another 3-1 comeback to defeat the Caps last night with another OT won by Stepan. Both under Alain Vigneault.
AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

In a hard fought seven-game series, sometimes it’s the tough decisions a coach makes that winds up being the difference. When they fell behind 3-1 to the Caps, the Rangers needed to adjust to come back for a second straight year in the second round making postseason history.

Those adjustments were made by second-year coach Alain Vigneault. Earlier in the series, I critiqued him for not tweaking his lines and making a change to his strategy. The Caps had success early in the series taking away the home run pass by clogging the neutral zone and standing up at the blueline neutralizing the Rangers’ speed. I also felt he needed to double shift his best players when the team was behind.

Ironically, in Game 5 Vigneault didn’t listen opting to roll all four lines. By that point, he had moved Dominic Moore up to center the third line shifting Kevin Hayes to the wing with Carl Hagelin. J.T. Miller was moved down to anchor the fourth line between Tanner Glass and James Sheppard. Interestingly, it was Miller who played a big role in the Rangers’ comeback. We’ll get to that later.

It was late in Game 5 on Friday night when the Rangers trailed the Caps by a goal. Curtis Glencross having chipped in his own rebound with 9:06 left. It looked like the fourth liner’s goal was gonna be enough to eliminate them in five. A result so disappointing that the coach and his players would’ve gotten roasted. But Vigneault never panicked opting to patiently wait for the right opportunity to send Henrik Lundqvist to the bench for an extra attacker. The irony is he never even got off when series hero Derek Stepan took a Keith Yandle outlet and then made a perfect drop for a wicked Chris Kreider one-timer that whistled past Braden Holtby with 1:41 left saving their season. Stepan would also set up Ryan McDonagh’s winner at 9:37 of overtime to extend the series.

The winning play doesn’t happen if not for some great hustle from rookie Jesper Fast. With Mats Zuccarello out, no player has stepped up more than Fast. Moved up by Vigneault to the Stepan line with Kreider, Fast has emerged as a key player. He’s a smart two-way forward who makes the little plays that help win big games. Prior to Stepan setting up McDonagh’s Game 5 winner, it was Fast who forced Glencross into a turnover. He then passed across for Stepan who faked and allowed McDonagh to do the rest. At the start of Game 6, Fast was in on Kreider’s goal 40 seconds in. He didn’t register a point last night but was reliable getting big minutes (21:24) in 33 shifts.

It was the play of the kids that allowed the Blueshirts to force overtime. The Caps kept handing them power plays between the end of the first and start of the second. But they were unable to take advantage until the final portion of their fourth power play. After the top unit with the struggling Martin St. Louis got nothing accomplished, it was the second unit that came through. Following a great keep by McDonagh, Miller took a feed and skated in drawing all four Caps and then centered for a wide open Hayes who tapped it in for the tying goal at 6:22 of the middle stanza. Hayes had his strongest game of the series skating in traffic and creating opportunities for Moore and Hagelin, who in OT was robbed by Holtby.

Miller was moved to the fourth line in Game 4. That’s when Vigneault decided he needed to have Moore in his top nine. An experienced and versatile player who consistently wins faceoffs, Moore also is a effective forechecker who can help generate a cycle. A heady player who is responsible defensively, he brought that little extra to the third line. In doing so, Vigneault banked on the speedy and skilled Miller to spark the fourth line. That strategy paid off in Game 6. When up 3-1, Miller combined with Sheppard behind the net to set up Dan Boyle for what proved to be the winner in a 4-3 nail biter.

Vigneault’s gutsiest move came during the third period of a tie game Wednesday. St. Louis was having a tough night. Unable to provide much offensively, the proud 39-year old future Hall Of Famer had a couple of bad giveaways that led to Caps chances. He also was no match for the dangerous Evgeny Kuznetsov one-on-one covering for a defenseman resulting in Kuznetsov blowing by him and nearly beating Lundqvist sending a backhand wide.

Vigneault could ill afford to have St. Louis out late when one mistake could have meant the series. So, he made the hard decision of sitting St. Louis replacing him with Miller on the Derick Brassard line with Rick Nash. Miller even took and won some key draws. He went 6-and-2 and was an asset in 21 shifts (14:56).

The coach also had to deal with a shortened bench following Brooks Orpik’s unpenalized hit that injured Dan Boyle. The Caps veteran defenseman left his feet at the end catching a prone Boyle who left the game in the third. That meant Vigneault had to rotate five defensemen. As usual, he leaned heavily on McDonagh who gave him over 29 minutes and recovered well from a coverage flap on Alex Ovechkin’s goal in the first. He blocked six shots while defending Ovechkin with steady partner Dan Girardi who was an unsung hero throughout. Kevin Klein also stepped up playing big minutes with Marc Staal.

Vigneault had to manage Yandle’s minutes because he was shaky in his end. However, he utilized Yandle the right way. As he had in Game 5 when he had the offensive defenseman out when his stretch pass led to Kreider’s critical goal, Vigneault sent Yandle over the boards following a stoppage with Girardi for Stepan’s key offensive draw. One that was won by Fast back to Yandle who fed Girardi for a heavy one-timer that forced Holtby to leak out a rebound right to Stepan, who deposited it for the series clincher.

When the Rangers needed to find a way to advance, Vigneault had the right personnel out. He chose wisely. He deserves credit for adjusting the team strategy. He was also responsible for getting them to chip and charge getting pucks behind the Caps D which allowed them to use their speed and get in on the forecheck. The Rangers were most effective working behind the net. They generated offense and turned the series around.

It paid off. All due to the coach who never panicked. Why would he? His team had been here before against the Pens last year. Having that experience helped them rally back. Having Lundqvist always helps. He tied Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most Game 7 wins (6). Lundqvist improved to 10-0 at MSG in the Rangers’ last 10 elimination games. He also kept alive his odd May 13th Game 7 streak by making the identical amount of saves (35) as he had in ousting the Caps in 2013 and the Pens last year. As uncanny as it gets for the clutch goalie who saved his team in OT when they were on their heels.

So, the Rangers’ dream is still alive. They can still #ChangeTheEnding with the right coach at the right time.

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Don’t play Lundqvist on May 13th in Game 7’s

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Derek

Whatever you do, don’t play Henrik Lundqvist in Game 7 on May 13th. If you’re an opponent, apparently it spells doom. Ironically enough, for a third straight year on that date Lundqvist made 35 saves in a Rangers Game 7 series clincher.

Don’t believe me? Puck Daddy’s Sean Leahy had more on Lundqvist’s May 13th dominance.

As Andrew Shapiro of SidelineBuzz.com noted on Twitter, this is the third consecutive May 13th that the Rangers have won a Game 7 with Lundqvist stopping 35 shots. Last season, he did it against the Pittsburgh Penguins, finishing off a series comeback after being down 3-1. Two years ago, it was the Capitals falling victim during yet another seven-game series between the teams.

It’s one thing to win on May 13th. But for Lundqvist to have stopped the identical amount of shots (35) in each Game 7 Rangers triumph is unworldly. Let the record show that none of the games coincided with Friday The 13th. That would’ve been more appropriate.

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Video Of Day: Rangers celebrate Game 7 win including locker room

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Derek

The best aspect of these NHL videos is they now supply players miked up following each series. It’s a lot more special when you prevail as you’ll see with our players congratulating the Caps during the handshake. Then there’s the locker room stuff with Henrik Lundqvist presenting OT hero Derek Stepan with the Broadway Hat.

Or shall I call him, “Y.E.” 😆

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Video Of Day: Rangers and Capitals shake hands

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Derek

Our second Video Of Day features the best tradition in sports. Hockey has it after every playoff series. The traditional handshake between opponents is something to behold. In a series as closely fought as the one between the Rangers and Capitals with only Derek Stepan’s dramatic overtime winner separating the teams, it was fun to watch the players from both sides show mutual respect.

Alex Ovechkin was in a hurry to shake hands with most Rangers until he got to Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi and of course Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist and Braden Holtby shared a moment probably chuckling about the series they each had. One for the ages. Ultimately, Hank was one goal better in a great second round.

It’s onto Round 3 and Tampa Bay starting Saturday.

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Video Of Day: Stepan wins Game 7 in overtime

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Derek

Our Video Of Day is none other than Game 7 hero Derek Stepan scoring in overtime to beat the Caps and send the Rangers to a second consecutive Eastern Conference Final where they’ll play the Lightning.

Just a great play all around. Following a Caps icing and stoppage to clean the ice, Alain Vigneault sent out his most effective line for the series. They delivered the series clincher allowing the Rangers to make playoff history becoming the first team to ever rally from 3-1 series deficits in back-to-back years.

Winning faceoffs is so important at this time of year. The Caps scored their only goal on a Nicklas Backstrom win with Marcus Johansson setting up Alex Ovechkin in the first period. Here, it’s a role reversal with Stepan getting help from poised rookie Jesper Fast, who had the sense to push the puck back to Keith Yandle who in turn fed Dan Girardi for a one-timer that caromed off Braden Holtby right to Stepan for the game-winner.

Also, it’s worth pointing out that Chris Kreider did his job getting in front of Holtby as Girardi took the shot. That probably caused the rebound and Stepan was in the right place at the right time. D-Step hadn’t scored all series. But he sure delivered in the clutch. Good for him.

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Stepan Up! D-Step’s overtime winner in Game 7 the difference for Rangers

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Derek
Stepan Up! Derek Stepan is mobbed by teammates after scoring the dramatic OT winner in Game 7 to beat the Caps 2-1 and advance to the Conference Final. AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

Stepan Up! Derek Stepan is mobbed by teammates after scoring the dramatic OT winner in Game 7 to beat the Caps 2-1 and advance to the Conference Final.
AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

If you were a fan of either of these teams, you probably were ready to pull your hair out. At 1-1 with sudden death looming in Game 7, there’s no better theatre. Honestly, I didn’t feel good about it. For most of the OT, it looked like the Caps would win. Only some clutch saves from Henrik Lundqvist and a well executed win off an offensive draw allowed Derek Stepan to score the dramatic OT winner at 11:24 sending the Rangers to an anxiety driven crowd pleasing 2-1 Game 7 win to set up a Conference Final against the Lightning.

It took a perfect play for a determined bunch of Blueshirts to finally eliminate the Caps who have nothing to be ashamed of. That’s how hard fought it was. It’ll go down as one of the best second round series in recent memory. With both Lundqvist and unlucky loser Braden Holtby sensational. Nothing separated them through 60 minutes. Each team had scored 12 goals. The next goal decided the winner.

In these games, you have to be lucky to advance. The Rangers were. Especially with the Caps having a decided edge in overtime. They had some serious looks to advance. Lundqvist is the big reason it didn’t come to fruition. He denied Andre Burakovsky and thwarted Jay Beagle, who was dangerous the entire night. Evgeny Kuznetsov had a great chance but missed wide due to some help from a tired defense who were down to five following a controversial Brooks Orpik hit that knocked out Dan Boyle.

Blood and guts. That’s what we got. At one point, the shots were 8-2 in favor of the Caps. The Rangers finally put together a couple of strong shifts to stem the tide. They would get the final three shots. The final two coming off an offensive draw won by both Stepan and brilliant rookie Jesper Fast, who nudged the puck back to Keith Yandle. The same Yandle who certainly had some scary moments dished across for a strong Dan Girardi one-timer that Holtby kicked out right to Stepan who was in the right spot for the emotional series clincher.

At one point during this grueling Game 7 that was mercy on the fans, the Caps dominated faceoffs. That changed in sudden death. The Rangers were able to win some critical ones. Especially key Alain Vigneault move J.T. Miller, who he put on the Derick Brassard line for the final portion of regulation- benching proud veteran Martin St. Louis. A gutsy call by a coach I’ve critiqued. One which was the right decision. Miller won some big faceoffs. St. Louis took a few shifts in OT with his line mates. He also took a heavy hit by Orpik in the third. More of the legal variety.

Entering the big elimination game, Alex Ovechkin had promised that his team would come out victorious after blowing a 3-1 series lead. Early on, he was outstanding scoring the game’s first goal while delivering heavy hits including another big one at the start on Ryan McDonagh. Their battle throughout was one to behold. Ovechkin finally got McDonagh when he beat him to a perfect Marcus Johansson feed in front and wristed one top shelf past Lundqvist’s glove at 12:50 of period one.

The officiating was different than the first six. Veteran refs Wes McCauley and Kevin Pollock called seven penalties. In this one, interference, holding and tripping were called as was a bad Mike Green crosscheck during the second that handed the Rangers a third straight power play. After being outplayed in the first and failing on a previous Green penalty, they finally found the equalizer.

For the most part, the Caps penalty kill did a great job taking away time and space from the Rangers power play. They won defensive draws and won battles and cleared pucks. Ironically, it was the play of the kids that resulted in the tying power play goal. Off a great keep by McDonagh, Miller drew defenders and found Kevin Hayes backdoor for an easy tap-in to draw even at 6:22. His first goal of the series came at a key moment.

The Caps’ penalties hurt their momentum. After controlling the first with their heavy forecheck, the lack of discipline allowed the Rangers to dictate the terms. Even though they only scored once on four power plays, it was enough to start taking the play to Holtby. In particular, the line of Hayes, Dominic Moore and Carl Hagelin had their best game bringing a consistent cycle. On a night where Derick Brassard didn’t have it and St. Louis struggled, they needed help from the supporting cast.

A Fast minor for tripping gave Washington their third power play with under nine minutes left in the second. The Caps’ best chance on their three attempts came on their first when Nicklas Backstrom was robbed by Lundqvist when they still were up. That save was one of many in a clutch performance by the team’s best player. He finished with 35 saves. Holtby was just as phenomenal making 37.

The whole series was a goalie duel between two of the best. During the handshakes, Lundqvist and Holtby had a cool moment. Mutual respect was shown between two men who performed at a high level. It’s sad that there had to be a loser. But that is sport. Especially playoff hockey and sudden death.

With the teams still tied, the third was tightly played. That favored the Rangers who were able to get more shots on Holtby. Total shots were 9-6 in favor of the Blueshirts. The final shift ended in the Rangers end with the defense and forwards battling the gritty Beagle and Troy Brouwer. They weren’t giving up anything.

As the OT began, it was all Caps. They made a strong push to finally erase the demons and win a Game 7 in at MSG. Beagle’s line especially was dangerous with the overlooked checking center having a couple of point blank chances only to be denied by Lundqvist. There were other nerve racking moments that made you think it was the Caps’ night. They really carried the play. Burakovsky was one-on-one again from a tough angle but Lundqvist took it away. They were that close.

Eventually, the Rangers found their legs and started chipping pucks behind the Caps D. They also used their speed and transition to try to beat Holtby with the best chance coming from Hagelin, who tested Holtby’s glove only to be denied. Off a Hayes touch pass, the speedy Hagelin came in and fired a good shot from the circle but an aggressive Holtby challenged and took it away with his cat-like glove. Tremendous stuff.

Derek Stepan takes the winning shot to beat a sprawling Braden Holtby scoring at 11:24 of overtime to send the Rangers to the Conference Finals where they'll meet the Lightning. Game 1 is Saturday. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Derek Stepan takes the winning shot to beat a sprawling Braden Holtby scoring at 11:24 of overtime to send the Rangers to the Conference Finals where they’ll meet the Lightning. Game 1 is Saturday.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Ironically, a Caps icing with under nine minutes left delayed the action due to the 10-minute stoppage to clean the ice. A point not lost on NBC’s Pierre McGuire who brought it up to Doc Emrick and Ed Olczyk. Should the team that iced the puck get that luxury? It didn’t matter. Instead, Fast helped Stepan win the biggest offensive draw. Then got the puck to Yandle, who moved it for a Girardi shot and bang. Stepan finished for his first goal of the series and fifth point to play the ultimate hero.

It ended that quickly. That’s how such well fought series go when sudden death is required. For the Rangers, it meant they’re now a perfect 7-0 in Game 7’s at MSG. It also allowed Lundqvist to win his sixth Game 7 tying legends Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the all-time playoff mark. It also means they postseason history by becoming the first team to ever rally from 3-1 deficits in back-to-back years. Records are made to be broken.

What it means for the banged up Blueshirts is two days to prepare for Game 1 against the Lightning on Saturday at 1 PM. What that could mean is Matt Hunwick back in the lineup if Boyle can’t go. We don’t know his status. You hope he can come back.

The Rangers are here because they’re resilient. They took the Caps’ best punch. It’ll be interesting to see how much they have left for the Lightning that features former players Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and Anton Stralman. If Boyle returns, he and St. Louis will also be facing their ex-team that they teamed up to win the franchise’s only Cup. Great storylines to follow.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (scored at 11:24 of OT to win series-3rd of playoffs-D-Step gets it done!)

2nd Star-Braden Holtby, WSH (37 saves incl. 24/25 thru 2-a star is born)

1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (35 saves incl. the last 21 the final 3 periods-played like a King)

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A Final Thought

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Derek

As they get ready for Game 7 at MSG towards the bottom of the hour, I’m just really nervous about this thing. Sure. Everything points to the Rangers. They’ve been here before and have been successful.

The crowd should be wild. The atmosphere through the roof. I’m glad Dad finally has a chance to go along with Justin and Michael in our Section 419 seats in the nose bleeds. I want them to win for him. He deserves it. No one works harder.

The Rangers and Caps have been here before. The last two Game 7’s going the Blueshirts Way in 2012 and 2013. In 2009, it went to the Caps. Only once in these five series has it not gone the distance with Washington getting it done in five in 2011. So, it’s a familiar script from the classic Patrick Division rivals.

When you have a game that features the league’s most dangerous scorer against the league’s most proven netminder, anything can happen. It might just come down to Alex Ovechkin and Henrik Lundqvist. At some point, I expect there to be a mono y mono sequence that could be a determining factor.

There are so many more actors who can change the script. But Ovechkin and Lundqvist are the two best players. We’ll see where it takes us.

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Rangers look to complete comeback against Caps tonight

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Derek
Henrik Lundqvist makes one of 42 saves denying Alex Ovechkin. He's the reason the Rangers prevailed 4-3 forcing Game 7. AP Photo by Nick Wass/Getty Images

Henrik Lundqvist makes one of 42 saves denying Alex Ovechkin in Game 6. Tonight’s the night.
AP Photo by Nick Wass/Getty Images

Tonight’s the night. For the Rangers, it’s another Game 7 on home ice. They earned it by having the league’s best record during the regular season. Facing a tough opponent in the Caps, it hasn’t been easy.

After trailing 3-1 in the series, they have come back to force a do or die game with a trip to the Conference Final on the line. The winner will play the Lightning. The loser will go on early vacation.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. A resilient Blueshirts made this possible by rallying to stun the Caps in Game 5 and held on to beat them in Game 6. After six hard fought games all decided by a goal which is the Rangers specialty, here we are.

There’s nothing like Game 7. Every player for both teams has pressure to perform when the puck is dropped around 7:38 tonight at what will be a raucous MSG. For the Rangers, history is on their side. In franchise history, they’ve never lost a deciding game at The Garden boasting a 6-0 record. Of course, a crucial part came in 1994. However, it’s been the Henrik Lundqvist teams who have specialized in finding a way to close out series. They did it twice in 2012 ousting Ottawa and Washington. In 2013, they rallied from 3-2 down and beat the Caps at Verizon Center. Last year, they edged the Flyers at MSG in the first round and came back from a 3-1 deficit for the first time in franchise history to defeat the Pens on the road.

Lundqvist has been the key. In the last five Game 7’s, he’s 5-0 with a 0.80 goals-against-average, .973 save percentage (144 saves on 148 shots) and a shutout. He also carries a 9-0 record with a 0.97 GAA, .968 save percentage (271 saves on 280 shots) with two shutouts in the Rangers’ last nine elimination games. The numbers are staggering. He’s been money in these spots. It doesn’t mean a thing when the puck is dropped. It still must be earned by all 18 skaters and Hank.

There’s so much riding on the line. On one side, you have Alex Ovechkin basically guaranteeing a win which would be the biggest of his career. The Caps have never been past this round since Ovechkin arrived. They haven’t advanced to the Conference Final since 1998 when they made it to the Stanley Cup Final before getting swept by the Red Wings.

On the flip side, you have the Rangers who are trying to change the ending from last year. They have home ice and there’s a lot of pressure. They know the time to win is now. After coming so close against the Kings, they are determined to get through this and go all the way.

As predicted, it’s been challenging. Braden Holtby has matched Lundqvist through six games with each brilliant netminder allowing 11 goals. Even with Ovechkin not recording a point since Game 2, it’s dead even. Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi are essential to a win. They have held Nicklas Backstrom to one assist. Washington coach Barry Trotz adjusted his lines moving speedy Marcus Johansson up while shifting effective net crasher Joel Ward down. It was the second line of Ward, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jason Chimera that did all the damage in Game 6.

This series has been tightly contested. There shouldn’t be much room. Scoring chances will be earned. It comes down to which team can impose their will. The Caps feel that their heavy forecheck and strength can be the difference. If the Rangers struggle like they did in the final frantic 12:20 in which they were out-attempted 34-0, they won’t be successful. They must stay in attack mode and use their speed to get past the Caps stingy D and cycle behind the net. A strategy Alain Vigneault switched to that’s worked. They must manage the puck and control the tempo.

In Game 7, you never know who’ll play the hero. Against the Flyers, it was Daniel Carcillo and Benoit Pouliot. Brian Boyle and Brad Richards were the heroes against the Pens. In what felt like a close out situation against the Canadiens in Game 6, it was Boyle combining with Dominic Moore for the only goal sending the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup Final in 20 years. Unsung heroes step up in big moments.

For the Blueshirts, Rick Nash finally got off the snide scoring a huge goal in the first minute Sunday. Maybe that gets him going. Martin St. Louis doesn’t have a goal yet in the playoffs but has created opportunities for teammates setting up Nash’s tally. He has three assists in the series. Derick Brassard continues to produce registering two assists in Game 6. He’s tied for the team lead in points (4) against the Caps with Chris Kreider (4-0-4), Derek Stepan (4 assists) and Jesper Fast (1-3-4). Fast has really stepped up since AV moved him up.

They haven’t gotten much out of Kevin Hayes. He’s only got a point setting up Fast’s tying goal in Game 1. He hasn’t looked to shoot enough overskating and passing up chances. Carl Hagelin also has been quiet with just one helper. Hagelin is a clutch performer who you expect to be heard from. His speed and hustle could be a factor. Since being put on the third line, Moore has done some good things on the forecheck. He only has a assist in 11 postseason games.

The fourth line of J.T. Miller, Tanner Glass and James Sheppard have been effective. Miller has worked well with the hard hitting Glass and gritty Sheppard. It was Miller and Sheppard who combined to set up Dan Boyle’s game-winner. Along with Glass, who has been much more consistent throughout, they have forechecked and even created chances. Who knows? Maybe they create a defining moment.

Defensively, McDonagh and Girardi have been splendid. Sure. Mac Truck has struggled at times but he’s going up against the most imposing offensive player. It’s a tough assignment. Girardi has been an iron man. They’ll need help tonight from the forwards. Ovechkin will be pumped up. He got six shots last game and Lundqvist denied a bid late.

Despite his defensive deficiencies, Boyle has two goals in the series. He’s battled hard. It’s not easy for him against such a big physical opponent. Vigneault has opted to pair him with Marc Staal while moving Kevin Klein down to Keith Yandle. Staal has the tough assignment against the dangerous Caps’ second line. They’ve been a thorn in the side. He and Boyle must do the job. Aside from his big assist on Kreider’s season saver with 1:41 left in Game 5, Yandle has struggled. He looks to be battling through an injury and has not been as decisive in his end. Klein hasn’t exactly been good either. He’s been beaten a couple of times for goals. They need to step up.

One thing about the Caps. Their supporting cast has been good. We already have seen Jay Beagle, Andre Burakovsky and Curtis Glencross contribute enough. Tom Wilson hits hard. Troy Brouwer is no stranger to big games. He won a Cup with Chicago. Brooks Laich is certainly experienced enough.

On the blueline, John Carlson is their most potent who gets the tough assignment with Brooks Orpik. Carlson has two assists and 18 shots. He has a heavy shot. Mike Green must be accounted for when he’s in the offensive zone. Matt Niskanen is fully capable as is the overlooked Karl Alzner. Tim Gleason has big game experience with the ’06 Hurricanes. It’s a good core.

One obvious point. Discipline. In these type of situations, usually it’s the team that remains focused and doesn’t lose their cool that prevails. Neither team has been penalized a lot but you saw how costly Brouwer’s penalty was with 3.6 seconds left in the first period the other night.

It’s all up for grabs later.

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