Video Of Day: Ovechkin highlight reel goal

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Derek

Our Video Of Day features who else but Alex Ovechkin. In a losing effort, Alexander The Great scored one of the most ridiculous insane goals you’ll ever see. That it came in Game 2 cutting the Caps’ deficit to 3-2 and against the Rangers top tandem of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi while victimizing Henrik Lundqvist speaks volumes.

What Ovechkin did here was amazing. Using great acceleration and sheer strength, he split McDonagh and Girardi before having enough determination to get off a great shot that had unbelievable velocity on it to beat Lundqvist stunning the Garden. That kind of intensity and passion is what makes the Great 8 so lethal.

Thus far in the second round series, Ovechkin has two goals and an assist factoring in on three of the Caps’ four goals. That included a magnificent rush and release in Game 1 firing a laser by Lundqvist along with a great set up for Joel Ward’s stunning winner with 1.3 seconds left.

The series is all even headed back to Washington for a pivotal Game 3 Monday night at 7:30 PM. Fasten your seat belts.

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Rangers hang on to beat Caps 3-2 in Game 2, even series

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Derek
Henrik Lundqvist is greeted by Kevin Klein and Tanner Glass following the Rangers 3-2 win in Game 2 over the Caps evening the second round series. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Henrik Lundqvist is greeted by Kevin Klein and Tanner Glass following the Rangers 3-2 win in Game 2 over the Caps evening the second round series.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

The playoffs keep you on the edge of your seat. Sometimes, they make you very nervous. If your team wins, only then can you breathe a sigh of relief. Let’s just say the Rangers gave every fan anxiety in the final minute but ultimately hung on to beat the Caps 3-2 in Game 2 at MSG evening the second round series.

It wasn’t pretty but didn’t have to be. All that matters is they bounced back from the bitter disappointment of Game 1 to send the series back to Washington tied at a game apiece. Facing their first adversity of the playoffs, the Rangers came out more determined. They were ready at the drop of the puck with Chris Kreider burying home a Jesper Fast rebound past Braden Holtby just 38 seconds in to give them an early 1-0 lead. Derek Stepan set up Fast in front forcing Holtby into a difficult save with the rebound caroming right to Kreider who deposited it for his second goal of the postseason.

That it was Fast who was in on the tone setting goal was a credit to Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. Prior to the game, there were no lineup changes as reported by the media. However, that didn’t stop him from flipping Fast with J.T. Miller, who moved down to the third line and responded well. Fast was terrific all day assisting on Kreider’s goal while being a monster on the forecheck along with strong penalty killing on the lone Caps power play early in the third with them trailing by one.

That wasn’t the only adjustment Vigneault made. He also changed his second and third defense pairs moving Kevin Klein back up with Marc Staal while shifting Dan Boyle back with Keith Yandle. Klein and Staal were solid. Especially Staal who had a clean takeout on a charging Alex Ovechkin during the second which drew roars from the crowd. Boyle and Yandle were a bit more of an adventure.

In a game they needed, the Blueshirts played with more urgency. Following up Kreider’s tally with superb puck possession and better chances against Holtby. They took the body and went hard to the net while firing 15 shots in a busy first period, taking the action to the Caps. Washington hardly had any time to make plays. Aside from scoring, Kreider was assertive delivering a thunderous hit on Ovechkin against the glass. It was one of his best games. If not for some big stops from Holtby, he could’ve had a hat trick.

The Rangers’ aggression resulted in consistent forecheck pressure and forced the Caps into penalties. The power play was more simple with players making one or two passes and then firing. Vigneault altered the look moving Martin St. Louis back on the right point with Boyle. Yandle and Ryan McDonagh ran the second unit.

Ironically, it was Boyle who got a nice reward on the second power play. Following ferocious pressure, the Caps attempted clear rolled to the line giving Boyle enough time to skate and recover the puck. With Rick Nash screening Holtby in front, Boyle threw a seeing eye shot that snuck past the Washington goalie for a 2-0 lead with 4:20 left in the first.

Leading by two, the Rangers pressed for more. If not for Holtby, it could’ve been a blowout. A foolish Tom Wilson charge on a double hit with Brooks Orpik on McDonagh handed them a third power play with under two minutes left. Despite some looks, they were unable to take advantage.

All Hail The King: Henrik Lundqvist makes a diving save to rob Alex Ovechkin in the first period. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

All Hail The King: Henrik Lundqvist makes a diving save to rob Alex Ovechkin in the first period.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

After being outshot 15-4, the Caps made a strong push in the second. Harder on the puck and able to sustain consistent pressure, they began generating chances. Finally able to test Henrik Lundqvist, they turned the tables. Even though the Rangers continued to attack, the Caps had the better opportunities. Lundqvist made an acrobatic save on a tricky shot to prevent a goal. He also denied Ovechkin and robbed Evgeny Kuznetsov with a great stack job to keep them off the board.

Eventually, Kuznetsov got one to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 6:01 left in the second. It was a total breakdown by Yandle and Boyle. Following a offensive draw that Miller won, Yandle got caught allowing the speedy Jason Chimera to come the other way on a counter. He was able to get off a tough low shot that Lundqvist couldn’t control allowing Kuznetsov to just beat Boyle to the loose puck for his fourth of the postseason.

Back in it, the Caps got life. They searched for the equalizer and almost had it a couple of times but Lundqvist made some big stops. The Rangers had some chances with a flying Kreider getting two mini-breaks but just missing his patented backhand deke. On the first one, Stepan made a great head man pass off the boards sending him in but Holtby was able to get his pad on it. The second, he didn’t have enough real estate.

The third was intense. The Rangers were a bit tentative early allowing the Caps to have possession. A Brassard interference minor in the offensive zone handed Washington their only power play. It was dangerous. After he had one shot blocked, Ovechkin got to the rebound and fired wide. Eventually, it was killed off with some good work done by Nash.

At the conclusion, Nash found St. Louis open at the Caps blueline. With Brassard out of the box and open calling for the puck, St. Louis’ pass took a favorable hop off a Caps stick right to Brassard who was finally able to beat Holtby through the wickets. That made it 3-1 with 13:53 left in regulation. Brassard’s reaction was priceless. He had a couple of other chances to beat Holtby on point blank rebounds but wasn’t able to. So, he was pumped. With NBC’s Pierre McGuire talking to him, he nodded.

But it wouldn’t be that easy for the Rangers to draw even. An absolutely amazing individual effort from Ovechkin resulted in the top Cap scoring a highlight reel goal that cut it to 3-2 with 9:31 remaining. Following an Orpik outlet for Joel Ward, Ovechkin took a Ward feed in the neutral zone and flew by McDonagh and Dan Girardi and in one motion fired a laser far side past Lundqvist. What made it even more stunning was his momentum carried him to the ice after the goal was scored. Unbelievable.

It’s the best I’ve ever seen Ovechkin play. He has really bought in under Washington coach Barry Trotz. In Game 1, he barked at young Russian Kuznetsov to get to the bench and not overstay his shift. If Ovechkin is going to play like this, it’s gonna be that much harder for the Rangers to win this series. The defense hasn’t been good enough. There were still too many turnovers and clear cases of forwards forgetting to take the man.

Clearly, the defense needs to tighten up. There are still instances where the Caps are getting too much room. They’re also having problems clearing the puck. The final minute and a half reminded me of 2009 against the same team. It was scary. The Caps set up Ovechkin twice but both his one-timers missed. John Carlson also missed wide.

The Rangers really did hang on. They got a bit lucky. At least they did what they had to do to square the series. Now comes the next challenge. Get the next one on Monday. That might mean a vintage Lundqvist performance. He hasn’t delivered one yet. He’s been good but can be better with the rebound control. He made 30 saves. Holtby had 32.

Chris Kreider is pumped after scoring 38 seconds into Game 2. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Chris Kreider is pumped after scoring 38 seconds into Game 2.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Alex Ovechkin, WSH (highlight reel goal-4th of postseason, 4 SOG, countless others that missed, 9 hits in 22 shifts-19:49)

2nd Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (30 saves incl. 11/12 in 3rd)

1st Star-Chris Kreider, NYR (2nd of postseason, 3 SOG in 7 attempts, 4 hits in 28 shifts-18:27)

Notes: Shots in the third were 12-8 Caps. For the game, it was 35-32 Rangers. After leading 15-4 following the first, they were outshot 28-20. … Rangers out-attempted the Caps 63-60. … With the game-winner, Brassard scored his team-leading fourth. Since 2013, he has 12 goals and 17 assists totaling 29 points in the postseason which leads all Blueshirts. … St. Louis is without a goal in his last eight postseason games. His last one came on 6/11/14 vs the Kings in Game 4. … Game 3 is Monday at Verizon Center with a start time of 7:30 PM. … Ryan Bourque was recalled from Hartford.

Key Statistics

Power Play WSH 0-1 NYR 1-4

Hits WSH 38 (Ovechkin 9) NYR 30 (Klein, Kreider 4)

Blocked Shots WSH 15 (Orpik 4) NYR 12 (Girardi 5)

Faceoffs WSH 31 (Laich 5-and-1) NYR 27 (Brassard 8-and-5)

Giveaways WSH 12 (Ward 3) NYR 13 (Brassard, Staal 3)

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Rangers best must step up for critical Game 2

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Derek
The Rangers best players must step it up for a critical Game 2 tomorrow. AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

The Rangers best players must step it up for a critical Game 2 tomorrow.
AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

Following last night’s stunning 2-1 loss that allowed the Capitals to take Game 1 thanks to Joel Ward’s goal with 1.3 seconds left in regulation, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault called out his best players. When asked to assess Alex Ovechkin’s performance, he heaped praise on the top Capital who scored and set up Ward’s winner.

“He played a great game,” Vigneault said. “There’s no doubt that one of my focuses is going to (be) getting my top players to play at a top level, and Washington obviously had players tonight that played a real strong game. And we’re gonna need to do that.”

When the series continues tomorrow at MSG for a essential Game 2 for the Rangers, they’ll need more from star players. That includes leading regular season scorer Rick Nash. Six games into the postseason, he remains stuck on one goal. The lone goal coming too late in a 4-3 Game 2 home loss to the Penguins last round. Nash had four points in that low scoring series. In Game 1 versus the Caps against Brooks Orpik, he had three shots and drew a penalty on Orpik. However, he was too much on the perimeter. A recurring theme for a player that’s struggled to perform. For his postseason career, he has six goals in 47 games. Five in 43 as a Ranger.

Nash isn’t the only one not producing. In an increased role, 39-year old vet Martin St. Louis was held off the score sheet Thursday night. Thus far, he has only one assist in six games. At least he took four shots and got a quality chance off the rush forcing Braden Holtby to make a tough save on a backhand. With Mats Zuccarello out for the second round, they need more from St. Louis. He and Nash are two-thirds of the top line anchored by Derick Brassard who had the best chance just missing on a Kevin Klein rebound late in the second period. He’s been more noticeable with three goals and a helper.

The second line was no better. Derek Stepan had a tough night. He had issues controlling the puck and wasn’t able to make those tape to tape passes we’re accustomed to. Chris Kreider was up and down. He was more visible in the third when he had a tip try in front of Holtby and later nearly collided with him while driving the net in a battle with Orpik. J.T. Miller was good on the forecheck forcing turnovers and delivered five hits. However, he missed the net on a couple of great chances and was partially to blame for Ward’s game-winner. He also had a bad turnover that almost proved costly.

The turnovers were a common theme. The Rangers had 20 giveaways. Way too many against an aggressive physical opponent who hits hard. The Caps easily could’ve had two or three more goals prior to Jesper Fast’s first career postseason goal that tied it. But Ovechkin and Ward each hit posts and Henrik Lundqvist bailed out teammates with some big glove saves including a strong denial on Nicklas Backstrom in the third with his team still trailing.

Ryan McDonagh didn’t play up to his usual standard passing a puck right to a Cap with Tom Wilson breathing down his neck. He didn’t do a good job closing out Ovechkin, who had enough room to draw both McDonagh and Stepan before threading the needle to Ward for the stunner.

It wasn’t a good game for a team that prides itself on team defense. The Blueshirts gave Ovechkin too much time and space. On the penalty kill, he was allowed easy access with a late coming Dan Boyle unable to deny Ovechkin’s rocket that beat Lundqvist inside the bar. It was curious as to why Boyle was caught out for both Caps goals. That’s not a favorable match-up. Even though he tried to do the right thing killing the clock at the end, he paid dearly with Backstrom’s controversial hit. His teammates stopped playing with McDonagh basically admitting he expected a whistle. Always play till the buzzer.

If they are to even the second round series tomorrow, the Rangers must get a better effort from their top players. That includes Lundqvist, who did all he could making 27 saves to give his team a chance. Obviously, he needs help. The team hasn’t scored enough. Offense wasn’t a problem during the season with the Rangers ranking third in the NHL averaging 3.02 goals-per-game. However, the Islanders were right behind them at 2.99 and are home because the Caps shut them down.

It would be nice if they got off to a quick start Saturday. Beating Holtby early should boost their psyche. Especially after how they lost. The playoffs are unforgiving. As Lundqvist and other Blueshirts, they have to move on. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond.

Vigneault Doesn’t Rip Officiating: Alain Vigneault easily could’ve gone after the refs for not calling Backstrom for a penalty on his tough hit on Boyle. But as they have throughout the playoffs, the officials aren’t making many calls. They’re trying to stay out of the way. Something Vigneault noted to Daily News reporter Pat Leonard.

Updating Boyle’s status, he practiced despite being banged up. So, it looks like he should be good to go for Game 2. Still, when you hear a vet admit he wasn’t all there following such a hit, it’s alarming. Hope he truly is okay. Matt Hunwick can fill in if needed.

One final point. The Rangers who are tweeting in all lowercase avoiding CAPS sent out a tweet on Boyle practicing. As usual, the commentary from a few fans wasn’t too kind.

Judging from some responses, it’s obvious none have ever played organized hockey. I’ll admit to never having done so either. But could our fans at least show some respect here? Granted. Boyle has been a sore spot most of the year. It’s painfully obvious he isn’t Anton Stralman, who actually got a second place vote from a writer for the Norris per NY Post’s Brett Cyrgalis.

Boyle is still a player who provides valuable minutes. Should he have been out over Dan Girardi on that fateful last shift? Probably not. That’s up to the coaching staff. They are the ones who draw the assignments. At times, I have been guilty of killing players too. But we should always support them. They need us. Judging from the lack of energy through the TV last night, MSG wasn’t loud enough. The Rangers need stronger support to draw even tomorrow.

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Game 1 Random Thoughts

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Derek

After losing in such ugly fashion, it’s hard to believe. I’m so accustomed to seeing the Rangers defend better than they did tonight. Simply put, they didn’t play till the final buzzer and it cost them dearly.

Joel Ward’s goal with 1.3 seconds left which gave the Capitals a stunning 2-1 win to take Game 1 at MSG is one that’ll be replayed until Saturday afternoon at 12:30 PM. The Rangers must respond to their first adversity of the postseason. They’ll have to play with more urgency than they showed tonight waiting till the third period before Jesper Fast tied the game with 4:39 left.

Let’s put down some random thoughts from Game 1:

-Giveaways. They were way too sloppy. The Rangers had 20 giveaways. That’s not a misprint. You had instances where Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein passed the puck right to Caps only to be bailed out by Henrik Lundqvist. The only defenseman who played well was Dan Girardi. No coincidence he had zero.

-A question for Alain Vigneault. Why would he have Dan Boyle out in the final minute of a tie game and not Girardi, who forms a potent tandem with McDonagh? It made about as much sense as having Boyle out for Alex Ovechkin’s power play rocket that Henrik Lundqvist still hasn’t found. Not the best deployment by AV.

-It wasn’t that the Caps played great but they were tough defensively and had great gap control. Their forecheck also caused problems. The Ovechkin line had a big night factoring in on both goals. They were way better than the Rangers’ top unit with Derick Brassard and Martin St. Louis getting chances while Rick Nash stayed on the perimeter. One goal in six postseason games for the Big Nashty. But who’s counting?

-Vigneault’s words about his “best players” were accurate. There were too many passengers. I thought St. Louis was fine on the top line. You don’t expect Derek Stepan to make such a huge mistake on the winner just as you never expect McDonagh to get beat by Ovechkin, who made a great play.

-That third line was great. It’s obvious that Kevin Hayes, Carl Hagelin and Fast have something going. They were effective during their shifts pinning the Caps D in and eventually creating the Rangers’ lone goal. Btw…give Boyle credit for a good pinch which caused a Cap turnover that led to Hayes’ shot which went off Fast and in.

-So according to some fools, “Ovi sucks!” Really? I don’t think he paid too much attention. He was too busy scoring a goal and assist while dominating and leading like a captain who’s hungry to finally help his team get past Round 2. Ovechkin did more in one period than Evgeni Malkin did in five games last round.

-Braden Holtby was good but never had to be great. The Rangers eventually got more traffic as the game went on. One of their best chances came late in the second when Brassard just missed on the doorstep. They also missed some other opportunities with J.T. Miller blowing two and Chris Kreider firing wide.

-Mats Zuccarello. You knew it was coming. They definitely missed him. He plays with such edge and smarts that of course they missed him. He’s so effective on the forecheck using his speed and creativity while also getting his nose dirty. Not having Zucc hurts. The Rangers are just gonna have to find a way to step up. Miller, Hagelin and Kreider are candidates.

-Brooks Orpik had a mammoth game for the Caps. He was all over Nash taking his space away. He didn’t let him breathe. Nash only had an assist in the Rangers’ seven-game comeback win over the Pens last year matched up against the same rough tough defenseman. Right now, Orpik’s making the Caps look pretty smart for investing so much in him and ex-Pen Matt Niskanen. Their D is a lot harder to play against.

-The Nicklas Backstrom hit. It’s one of those that you hate seeing decide a game as big as this one. What if they had just blown the play dead? I know they can’t do that. It happens so fast that maybe that’s why the play continued and Ovechkin set up Ward for the crusher. The refs have a hard job. But we’ve seen some glaring examples of the Caps getting away with controversial hits. None bigger than Ovechkin plowing over Islander defenseman Thomas Hickey from behind. No call. You can’t make it up.

-That said, that’s not why the Rangers lost. They weren’t hard enough on the puck and didn’t play a full 60 minutes. They better put their hard hats on for Game 2.

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Capital Devastation: Ward’s goal with 1.3 seconds left dooms Rangers

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Derek

How do you describe what just happened? In a word, awful. Brutal, disgusting and humiliating all come to mind. Forget for a second that Nicklas Backstrom’s hit on Dan Boyle caused him to cough up the puck. What the heck were Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan doing on Joel Ward’s game-winner with 1.3 seconds left? More to the point, why did Stepan go to Alex Ovechkin when McDonagh was on him? I’d love to hear his explanation.

Whether or not it should’ve been a penalty on Backstrom, it doesn’t matter now. On just a brilliant effort from their captain Ovechkin, the Capitals stunned the Rangers 2-1 to take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal at MSG. Full credit to Ovechkin for not giving up on the play. He outskated McDonagh and fed Ward for a goal so heart breaking you wonder how the Rangers will respond in Game 2. They better get it or it’s trouble.

In all honesty, they didn’t play well enough for my liking. For two periods, they didn’t test Braden Holtby. There weren’t enough battles in front. He was able to see everything. Credit a stingy Caps defense led by Brooks Orpik and John Carlson. Orpik stifled Rick Nash, who had three quiet shots in 28 shifts (18:40). I’m in agreement with NBC’s Mike Milbury. Nash needs to elevate his level. He didn’t while Ovechkin did and that was the difference.

How this game isn’t in overtime I can’t explain. The Rangers finally showed urgency in the third. They forechecked better and got bodies in front of Holtby. Chris Kreider, who did nothing the first two periods finally had a couple of strong shifts. He nearly ran into Holtby after being shoved by Orpik but missed him. He also had a good redirect which Holtby got a piece of.

On a night where the top two lines weren’t good enough, it was the third scoring unit of Kevin Hayes, Carl Hagelin and Jesper Fast that tied the game. All game, they were the most effective. Especially the speedy Hagelin who was all over the ice. Hayes was hounded by the Caps throughout but kept battling as did Fast, who got just reward by getting the goal when a Hayes shot deflected off his leg past Holtby to tie it with 4:39 left in regulation.

It was a weird game. Even in that final minute, it felt like something was gonna happen. The Rangers had a good chance to score earlier but couldn’t with J.T. Miller unable to get his stick on a loose puck with a gaping net. Washington coach Barry Trotz had the Ovechkin line with Backstrom and Ward matched against Stepan, Kreider and Miller, who was more visible than his line mates. Even if he had a scary turnover when they still trailed.

The Caps did the smart thing with under 10 seconds left getting the puck deep. Backstrom closed hard on Boyle hitting him with a tough shoulder which freed the puck. I wouldn’t say it was directly from behind. But I wondered as it happened, ‘That could have been called.’ Next thing you know, Ovechkin made the play to Ward, who didn’t miss on Henrik Lundqvist as he did when he hit the goalpost earlier.

Of course, Alain Vigneault was hot on the Rangers bench. Who could blame him? It’s a excruciating way to lose. An uncalled penalty which allowed Ovechkin to set up Ward in front. Lundqvist was totally unprepared. But that’s beside the point. It was way too easy.

Overall, I thought the Rangers were sloppy. They coughed up the puck a lot and had some bad giveaways. Sure enough, they had 20. Way too many. You can’t do that against a opportunistic opponent like the Caps. Only Dan Girardi played well of all our D. Every other defenseman had trouble with Washington’s forecheck. Kevin Klein was okay but shaky in his end with a couple of bad giveaways. McDonagh wasn’t good either. Marc Staal struggled. Keith Yandle wasn’t a factor and passed up on shots again while having a couple of hiccups defensively. Boyle remains an enigma but he did compete hard one on one. His offense remains missing.

They just weren’t good enough. Even with outshooting the Caps 32-29, the Blueshirts can play a lot better and will need to starting Saturday at 12:30 PM. They’re facing a lot of pressure. Usually, they win the first game and drop the second. Now, they have to win the second just to earn a split before the series shifts to Washington. If it’s anything like tonight, it won’t be easy.

The start wasn’t a problem. The Rangers had the better of the play the first few shifts utilizing their speed to generate chances. Despite having an edge in shots 12-7 for the first period, they didn’t take advantage of an Orpik penalty. The power play got looks but again failed. Yandle’s reluctance to shoot isn’t helping. At some point, he has to take the shot. It’s way too predictable.

Unfortunately, the Caps didn’t misfire on their power play. Dominic Moore took an unnecessary holding minor with 2:34 left. Trotz started his second unit. After they went off, Ovechkin went to work. Taking full advantage of time and space the Rangers penalty kill gave him gaining easy access, he used Boyle as a screen firing a missile high short side past Lundqvist that came out so fast it was amazing. Carlson and Holtby got assists on Ovechkin’s third of the playoffs at 18:13.

Kreider took an ill advised high-sticking minor with 21 seconds remaining. That was not a good penalty. It put the Caps right back on the power play. The Rangers were able to kill it off but Ovechkin was dangerous throughout with six shots and also hitting the crossbar. He had too much room.

On the post game, Vigneault said their gap control must be better. He also had some harsh words indicating that his best players have to play like their best players. Interesting. He didn’t comment on the Backstrom hit and didn’t give any update on Boyle on whether he was injured.

Regarding the hit, McDonagh said he didn’t see it as it was such a fast play and before he knew it, the puck was in the back of the net. Bang bang. That quickly. Miller said he has to do a better job in front taking Ward. But that was really on Stepan, who admitted as such. When asked whether they can take some positives out of the game, he said they did some good things but obviously they’ll have to make adjustments.

During a good shift by the fourth line, Tanner Glass got his stick on Holtby who lost his mask and fell to the ice. It was hard to pickup initially because NBC SN went to break which made no sense. But the replays showed that it might’ve been intentional. The Caps didn’t like it. Tom Wilson went after Glass. Interestingly, following Ward’s late heroics, both fourth lines were out and Wilson challenged Glass. It didn’t amount to much with only matching roughs.

The damage was done. The Caps took home ice. Whether or not it was a penalty, ask refs Chris Rooney or Kelly Sutherland. I’m not discussing it. It’s not why they lost.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Jesper Fast, NYR (1st career goal, +1 in 19 shifts-14:49)

2nd Star-Joel Ward, WSH (scored game-winner with 1.6 seconds left in regulation)

1st Star-Alex Ovechkin, WSH (PPG-3rd of playoffs, assist, 6 SOG, +1 in 28 shifts-18:26)

Notes: According to Elias Sports Bureau, Ward became only the third player to ever score a game-winning goal in the postseason with less than two seconds left. He joins Jussi Jokinen and Bob Pulford. … Holtby finished with 31 saves while Lundqvist made 27 in defeat. … Moved up to the top line, Martin St. Louis had four shots including one good opportunity in front with a backhand padded away by Holtby. He was more noticeable than Nash, who was called “marshmallow soft” by Milbury during the second intermission. A harsh assessment but accurate. … Rangers controlled faceoffs going 34-for-61. Brassard (12-and-9), Stepan (9-and-6) and Moore (7-and-4) were all good. Jay Beagle was the Caps’ best going 7-and-3 while Backstrom struggled finishing 8-and-16. … In his first game on the fourth line, James Sheppard was okay in 16 shifts (11:02) with two hits.

Key Statistics

Giveaways WSH 13 (Niskanen 5) NYR 20 (Staal 5)

Hits WSH 32 (Backstrom, Wilson 5) NYR 34 (Klein 6)

Blocked Shots WSH 19 (Orpik 4) NYR 15 (McDonagh 3)

Shot Attempts WSH 60 NYR 65

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Series Preview: Rangers face Capitals test in Round Two

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Derek
Brassy! Derick Brassard celebrates his overtime winner with Rick Nash. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

Brassy! Derick Brassard celebrates his overtime winner with Rick Nash.
AP Photo by Frank Franklin II/Getty Images

If the first round was just an appetizer, then Round Two should be a entree for the Rangers when they face a Capitals test starting tonight at MSG. After dismissing the Penguins in a much closer fought five games that included OT winners from Kevin Hayes and Carl Hagelin, they should be ready for a tough battle against a physical opponent who won a war of attrition over the Islanders in seven.

The Caps love to hit. Led by captain Alex Ovechkin, they will look to punish the Rangers. Featuring heavy hitters Brooks Orpik, Tom Wilson and Troy Brouwer, they’ll try to use their size to wear down a strong Rangers defense that gets back Kevin Klein. Matt Hunwick did an admirable job. Unless Klein is banged up or Dan Boyle struggles, they boast a deep blueline led by captain Ryan McDonagh. Teamed with the rugged Dan Girardi, they’ve matched up against Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom plenty in the playoffs.

The Rangers and Capitals will see each other for the fifth time in six years. The Caps took the first two but the Rangers returned the favor prevailing in seven in both 2012 and 2013. Three of the previous four have gone the distance.

After missing the postseason last year, Washington is back with new coach Barry Trotz. They’re deeper thanks to key blueline additions Orpik, Matt Niskanen and former Cup winner Tim Gleason. Karl Alzner had a great first round scoring twice. They also boast better scoring depth with electrifying Russian rookie Evgeny Kuznetsov burning the Islanders for three goals including the series clincher. He anchors a good second line that includes Marcus Johansson and Jason Chimera. Joel Ward plays with Backstrom and Ovechkin. He’s a good fit taking the body and going to the net. Trotz has Brouwer on the third line with Jay Beagle and Andre Burakovsky. The fourth line is your classic crash unit featuring Wilson, Brooks Laich and Curtis Glencross.

Braden Holtby will match-up against Henrik Lundqvist. He’s had a very good season winning 41 games with nine shutouts and a .923 save percentage. He allowed seven goals in the last five games against the Isles finishing with a 1.63 goals-against-average in the first round. All-time versus the Rangers in the postseason, he has a 2.05 GAA and .925 save percentage. Aside from a Game 2 hiccup in which he permitted four goals, Lundqvist shutdown the Pens limiting them to four total in the Rangers’ four wins all by an identical 2-1 score. He was at his best the final two games when things got tight with each needing overtime.

For the Rangers, they’re missing top right wing Mats Zuccarello, who suffered an apparent concussion in Game 5 against Pittsburgh when he took a McDonagh shot off the side of his helmet. The team lists him as out indefinitely. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks is now reporting that he’ll miss the entire second round and his status remains uncertain if the Rangers advance to the Conference Finals. Who knows what the timetable is.

For the Blueshirts, they’ll have to find a way to overcome Zuccarello’s loss. He’s an important player who does so much including use his speed and creativity on the forecheck while also being a diligent backchecker. He’s a pesky player who goes to the net and is never afraid to mix it up. Zuccarello’s replacement Martin St. Louis won’t do that. The 39-year old former Hart winner has a similar skill set. They’re practically the same size. St. Louis brings plenty of skill and experience. Moved up to the top line with Rick Nash and Derick Brassard, he must be better this series. He didn’t score a goal but set up Hayes’ Game 5 OT winner.

“I think they play similar; they have the same height,” a chuckling Brassard said of the diminutive wingers. “They both like to make plays and like to work off [their linemates].

Sometimes, St. Louis can be too unselfish. When he was on the Hayes’ third unit, he was more of a shooter. Back on the top line, he’ll be more of a play maker looking to set up Nash. The key is he must also think shot when the opportunity presents itself. Brassard was the best player on the line in Round One torching the Pens for three goals. Nash recorded a goal and three assists tying Brassard for the team lead in points with McDonagh, who quietly registered four points.

A big key will be Nash who was solid in their first round win. Four points in five games is okay considering how much the Pens slowed it down. However, Nash has yet to have that breakout series. He’ll be defended well by the combination of Orpik and John Carlson. However, he has enough size and speed to make an impact.

Without Zuccarello, that puts more attention on Chris Kreider. He only had one point. The game-winner in Game 3. He did throw his weight around registering 18 hits. His combination of size, speed and skill must be a factor. Playing with USA sidekicks Derek Stepan and J.T. Miller, Kreider is the Rangers’ most physically gifted forward. He takes the body and goes to the net. They need him.

Stepan is the heady two-way pivot who always is in the right spot. Whether it be defensively or offensively, he’s going to make the smart read. A very unselfish player, he has great chemistry with Miller and Kreider. Miller has developed into a physical two-way threat who plays with edge. He also only had one point in the first series but delivered 19 hits. Stepan had two goals and a helper. The second unit will need to be more consistent.

The third line was a determining factor against the Pens. After a slow start to his postseason career, Hayes scored his first goal in Game 4 of sudden death finishing off a play started by St. Louis with Hagelin right in the middle. Ironically, it was Hagelin who eliminated the Pens in Game 5 when he retrieved a loose puck from Dominic Moore and came out and beat Marc-Andre Fleury. Hagelin had two goals and an assist. His game breaking speed was a factor. His speed and defensive acumen allow him to be a two-way threat. His hustle is what makes him such a effective player.

Minus Zuccarello, rookie Jesper Fast moves up to the third line with Hayes and Hagelin. Fast doesn’t do anything fancy. However, he’s a good defensive forward who can forecheck. In a more offensive role, he can contribute. He spent some time with Hayes and Hagelin during the season.

With Fast moved up, deadline acquisition James Sheppard becomes a key cog to the fourth line anchored by Moore and flanked by Tanner Glass. In Round One, the fourth line was only on for one goal against and were effective during most of their shifts. Moore remains the most overlooked player on the roster. Dependable at even strength as well as penalty kill, he also is good on faceoffs. He went 35-and-31 against the Pens. Glass picked his spots finishing with 19 hits and no penalties. He’ll have to remain disciplined against the ornery Wilson and Glencross. Sheppard is an agitator who is capable of contributing. He must avoid the box.

The Rangers should have an edge on the back end. With Klein returning, it gives them four reliable defensemen who can play their end tough. Klein also is good at reading and reacting with a underrated right shot that hits the net. Keith Yandle had a couple of days off which should help his health. He had a good first series assisting on two goals while playing steady defensively. A strong skater and great passer, he made a perfect stretch pass that set up a Hagelin goal. Marc Staal was okay but can play better. Whether he’s paired with Boyle or Klein, he’ll likely draw the assignment against Kuznetsov. That could prove challenging.

Lundqvist gives them the edge in net. Though Holtby always seems to rise up in these series, it’ll be up to the offense to crack the Caps goalie.

Special teams are always huge. The Caps had the top ranked power play. Against the Isles, that didn’t matter. They only scored once while blanking the Isles. The Isles did a great job shadowing Ovechkin to limit his dangerous one-timer. Usually, the Rangers are able to keep him at bay. However, he scored five goals in the season series including four power play goals. Way too many due to leaving too much space. They must do a better job and of course stay disciplined. No silly penalties. It’s not just Ovechkin you must worry about. Backstrom, Brouwer, Ward and Carlson are all part of it. Kuznetsov is on the second unit with Mike Green.

When it comes to the power play, it makes Ranger fans cringe. They did score three times against the Pens. But if they have that many chances, they have to be able to punish opponents more. So, if the Caps start taking liberties at some point it has to click.

Both coaches are proven. Vigneault seems to push all the right buttons. The team responds to him and is as together as I can ever remember. They like each other. There’s great camaraderie. Top to bottom. Trotz is a great mind. Very respected, he was able to limit the Isles’ offense. His team never buckled despite all the pressure.

Series Prediction: When it comes down to it, the Caps will give the Rangers all they can handle. No Zuccarello should hurt. But unless Ovechkin explodes or Holtby outplays Lundqvist, they should still prevail. It’ll be close.

Rangers in 6

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Bishop, Lightning shutout Red Wings 2-0 to advance, Round 2 picks

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Derek

The Lightning became the final team to advance to the second round. Behind 31 saves from Ben Bishop, they shutout the Red Wings 2-0 to take Game 7 at home. Tampa Bay completed a comeback from 3-2 down to best Detroit in a entertaining seven-game first round series.

Astonishingly, captain Steven Stamkos didn’t score a goal. However, in a scoreless contest his top line had an impact. In the third period, a strong forecheck from line mates Alex Killorn and former Ranger Ryan Callahan led directly to ex-Flyer Braydon Coburn scoring the series clincher with 16:02 left in regulation. Following a Stamkos dump, Killorn recovered the puck and Callahan came out and made a great diagonal pass for a Coburn one-time blast that beat Red Wings netminder Petr Mrazek.

The unlikely combo of ex-Ranger and former Flyer helped the Lightning advance to set up a great second round match-up against the Canadiens. During the regular season, Tampa took the season series 5-0. However, none of that means much in the playoffs. It should be a tougher challenge against Montreal with the Habs having home ice. The winner of course will take on the winner between the Capitals and Rangers. Game 1 is Thursday night at MSG. Fasten your seat belts.

For two periods, the Red Wings out-chanced the Lightning by a wide margin. They also nearly doubled them in shots holding a lopsided 23-12 edge. However, they were unable to beat Bishop, who delivered his best game of the series. Despite some great chances created by Pavel Datsyuk, Darren Helm, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings never could solve him. Even in the third, they had some close calls. They were a bit snake bit.

For the Bolts, they were able to put it together just in the nick of time. Amazingly, they only totaled 16 shots with 15 coming on Mrazek. That included four in the final stanza. Even after failing on a power play with Mrazek shrugging aside a Stamkos chance in the slot on a Tyler Johnson set up, the Bolts were able to find the one goal they needed.

Following Coburn’s tally, the Wings almost came back right away. On a perfect set up, Zetterberg was flat out robbed by a sliding Bishop who got across to deny him. Another opportunity to beat Bishop came in the closing seconds of the second period. A brilliant Datsyuk rush and pass had Helm in but his shot pass for a wide open Tatar with 2.1 seconds left just missed. If it hits his stick, it’s in.

That’s the kind of night it was for the Winged Wheel who might’ve played their final game under brilliant coach Mike Babcock. The soon to be free agent could leave Hockey Town. That would be sad but such is the business side of sports. He’s been a fixture there since leaving Anaheim following ’03-04. Babcock has a career record of 527-285-19. That’s a .627 win percentage. Behind the Red Wing bench, he’s 458-223-105 (.649) including leading the Original Six franchise to the Stanley Cup in ’07-08. They lost to the Penguins in a rematch the following year in seven.

While Babcock’s situation gets sorted out, the Lightning are still playing hockey. They did it the hard way rallying back to beat the Red Wings. Behind six goals from Johnson including heroics in Game 4 and Game 6 in Detroit, they will face the Canadiens.

For Tampa, all three ex-Rangers played roles in their win. Callahan’s imprints were all over the third. He was one of their most effective forecheckers setting up Coburn’s winner while doing a strong job on a late shift with Stamkos and Killorn in the final two minutes.

Anton Stralman was a standout. If not for Stamkos getting into it with Riley Sheahan, Stralman would’ve scored one of the prettiest goals of these playoffs completely undressing a Detroit player with a fake shot and then skating in and going backhand past Mrazek. However, ref Kevin Pollock got the call right. Both Stamkos and Sheahan wrestled each other down prior to Stralman beating Mrazek with Pollock waving the goal off. Ironically, Stralman would seal it with 1:18 left when his bank clear off the boards bounced down and in from Bishop. Very deserving for the strong two-way defenseman who had a whale of a game.

Brian Boyle also was solid doing yeoman’s work on the penalty kill which shutout the Red Wings in three chances. He also was noticeable on the forecheck outhustling players faster than him while playing responsible defensively. That’s Boyle. The man who steps up in the postseason. He and Stralman improved to 10-0 in Game 7’s. Most of which came playing for the Rangers with Henrik Lundqvist manning patrol.

So, the final eight are set. Tomorrow, the fun begins with the Rangers hosting the Capitals for Game 1 at MSG with a 7 PM start. At 10 PM, the Ducks play host to those Flames. Friday, it’s the Canadiens hosting the Lightning at 7 PM followed by the Blackhawks home for the Wild at 9:30 PM.

There’s a lot to be excited about. The Elite 8 should be fun. Every series has potential to go deep. After failing on the Blues and Jets in Round 1, I finished 6 for 8. However, Winnipeg and St. Louis was my Western Conference Final with St. Louis making me sing the Blues by once again folding. I doubt Ken Hitchcock will stick around. They’re out early a third consecutive year.

With eight remaining teams left in the field, here are my Conference Semi picks:

East

Canadiens over Lightning in 7

I know I took Tampa but something tells me Montreal is going to find a way due to Carey Price.

Rangers over Capitals in 6

This one could prove tougher due to no Mats Zuccarello. Plus the Caps aren’t just Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom anymore. They’ll try to wear down our D by finishing every check. It could go seven but I believe Lundqvist is the difference. Expect bigger series from Rick Nash and Chris Kreider.

West

Blackhawks over Wild in 7

I wouldn’t be shocked if the Wild pull the upset. Zach Parise is on fire and Devan Dubnyk gives them an edge compared to Corey Crawford or Scott Darling. But the Hawks are so battle tested. Hard to go against Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews at this time of year. Plus Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.

Ducks over Flames in 6

I know I said I don’t like Anaheim. But they impressed me in Round 1 coming back in the third period in the first three games against Winnipeg. Corey Perry feasted and Ryan Getzlaf was stellar. Also, Ryan Kesler showed up. If Frederik Andersen holds up, it’s hard to go against them.

I love the Flames. They are the most fun to watch. Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Jiri Hudler form the top line. Dennis Wideman, Kris Russell and T.J. Brodie form a strong back end. Michael Ferland hits everyone. I just think the Ducks ability to forecheck will prove too much for Jonas Hiller who’s facing his ex-team.

If it comes to fruition, here is what my Conference Finals would look like:

Canadiens vs Rangers

Pits best two goalies.

Blackhawks vs Ducks

Star studded.

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Video: Kronwall suspended a game for hit on Kucherov (UPDATED)

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Derek

During last night’s Game 6 won by the Lightning over the Red Wings, Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall delivered a big hit on Tampa forward Nikita Kucherov. There was no penalty on the play. Kronwall is having a hearing for the hit today with Game 7 tomorrow.

From our vantage point, Kronwall comes across and delivers a shoulder to chest hit on a leaning Kucherov who just released the puck along the boards. He was in a vulnerable position. Due to that, Kronwall caught both upper chest and chin of Kucherov. That makes the hit questionable which is why it’s being reviewed.

This is a tough one. From one aspect, Kronwall was making a hockey play by hitting an opposing player with the puck. But the speed of the game is so fast that once Kucherov got rid of it, the onus is on Kronwall to avoid contacting the face. The head isn’t the principle point of contact. There wasn’t enough time for Kronwall to change course.

Former NHL official Kerry Fraser chimed in on both this hit and Alex Ovechkin’s dangerous hit from behind on Islander defenseman Thomas Hickey. His point of contention is that Kronwall launched himself into Kucherov which is illegal. That’s charging. He’s correct. The determining factor will probably be Kucherov’s status. He wasn’t injured. My guess is they’ll pass on suspending Kronwall.

UPDATE: For once, the NHL didn’t pass on disciplining a player with a Game 7 tomorrow. Kronwall was suspended a game for charging Kucherov. I can’t disagree with the ruling. As Fraser said, Kronwall left his feet to make the hit. Had he not, he would’ve been fine. So, Detroit loses their top defenseman for Game 7 at Tampa Wednesday. That should be interesting.

As for Ovechkin’s hit on Hickey, that was dangerous and should’ve resulted in at least a double minor for boarding. Instead, nothing was called. Fraser felt it was bad enough to be a major and game. Ovechkin stayed in and the Caps prevailed 2-1 over the Isles advancing to a second round match-up against the Rangers.

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Video Of Day: Ovechkin Mic’d Up For Handshake Line

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Derek

Our second Video Of Day features Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin mic’d up during handshakes with the Islanders. The fiery Russian is a breath of fresh air when it comes to his personality revving up fans following the first round victory.

We get to see Islander defenseman Johnny Boychuk congratulate Ovechkin and tell him, “I hope you achieve your goal,” to which Ovechkin replies, “Definitely.” We also see Isles’ assistant Doug Weight tell him, “I’ll root for ya.” Ovechkin congratulates Islanders coach Jack Capuano saying, “Great coaching staff.”

The handshakes following each series is one of hockey’s best traditions. It shows us good sportsmanship and respect for the opponent. Of course, there have been examples of the opposite with Milan Lucic losing his cool after the Bruins lost to the Canadiens last year threatening Dale Weise. There was also the non-handshake between Martin Brodeur and Sean Avery following Devils/Rangers. Similar to Kirk Maltby and Claude Lemieux after a heated Western Conference Final between the Red Wings and Avalanche.

For the most part, players respect each other win or lose.

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Video Of Day: All Access- Isles vs Caps Game 7

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Derek

Today’s Video Of Day features last night’s emotional Game 7 of the first round between the Isles and Caps. It gives us a unique perspective into the players’ mindsets. It’s cool to see them mic’d up and their reactions along with strategy.

You’ll notice how pumped up Alex Ovechkin throughout motivating his bench to make a push following Frans Nielsen’s tying goal. And of course, his excitement for Russian Evgeny Kuznetsov who scored the series decider with 7:18 left on a brilliant move and finish.

Kudos to the NHL for providing more access to the fans.

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