Battle Of Hudson covers the Rangers and Devils, who's intense rivalry heated up in the 90's. With fresh faces added, they battle for supremacy in NYC and NJ..
Derek Stepan’s broken jaw didn’t prevent the Canadiens from running their mouths. The war of words has escalated. AP/Getty Images
Apparently, it’s not enough that the Canadiens are back in the Eastern Conference Final. They continued to run their mouths a day before Game 4 at MSG. The latest commentary came from Daniel Briere and coach Michel Therrien. First, Briere charged the Rangers with lying about Derek Stepan.
“I think it seems a little fishy to me,” Briere told reporters regarding Stepan’s uncertain status for Sunday. “It seems like a little bit of a game.”
Briere isn’t the only one to comment on Stepan. Teammate Brendan Gallagher also doubted as to the extent of Stepan’s broken jaw. Stepan was injured by Brandon Prust, who delivered a late illegal check in Game 3.
“He got up and he was yapping and yelling [after the play],” Gallagher said. “So, I’m sure the jaw isn’t hurting too much.”
Following the bizarre commentary, Alain Vigneault informed the media that Stepan had a plate inserted into the jaw as part of Friday night’s surgery. He was still at the hospital recovering and remained doubtful for tomorrow. At least Prust had the decency to text Stepan.
“Once I found out he had a broken jaw, I reached out to him,” Prust told USA Today’s Kevin Allen. “I told him I feel awful. I didn’t want to injury anybody, especially a friend of mine.”
He said Stepan responded with a brief text. “But I think he understands where I’m coming from,” Prust added. “It’s a tough situation right now.”
Regarding the hate he’s received from Ranger fans who once cheered him Prust said, “I’m not worried. They’re not my fans anymore. I’m in Montreal now and those are my fans. That’s who I care about. (But) I remember my time (in New York) and still love this city and the organization.”
When asked about his former teammate, Henrik Lundqvist emphasized that he doesn’t have any friends in Montreal right now. About as well put as you’d expect.
That wasn’t the only topic. Briere also had more to say on Ryan McDonagh. “I haven’t seen anyone slash as much as he has since Chris Pronger,” he charged. You can’t make it up.
As usual, Therrien was his chatty self following Montreal’s practice. During it, they caught Rangers assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson taking it in. A no-no according to a “gentleman’s agreement.” Samuelsson eventually left.
”Coaches are not allowed to attend practices between games,” Therrien said. ”Game day is different.”
”It’s always been like that. That’s the way it is.”
Of all the things he’s said, this is one thing I agree on with Therrien. I don’t get why Samuelsson was there. It just fuels the fire. Of course, the Montreal coach wasn’t done even making a ridiculous comment in French about Derick Brassard’s return.
#canadiens Michel Therrien in french:"we expect Derick Brassard to play and we know exactly where he's injured. Hockey is a small world."
That sums it up. Since losing Carey Price, Therrien has done nothing but complain. After losing Game 2, he emphasized needing “bounces and calls” to win. Coincidentally, his team got those bounces to prevail in Game 3. As for the calls, no comment.
It’s amazing that out of all the Rangers opponents, it’s the Canadiens that’s brought out the most hatred. In the first round, the Rangers went about their business defeating the rival Flyers in seven. It was an odd series without much emotion. Against the Pens, the second round comeback was about the team rallying around Martin St. Louis. The Rangers ousted two traditional rivals without getting into a war of words. Brian Boyle summed it up best.
“Winning Game 4 is retribution.”
After failing to win Game 3, they put themselves in this spot. Win tomorrow to prevent the Canadiens from having all the momentum. Game 5 is Tuesday at Bell Centre. What it boils down to is this. There’s no reason the Rangers shouldn’t win the series. It’s not about what’s said off the ice. Actions speak louder than words. Let’s see it.
When the Rangers take the Garden ice for a critical Game 4 tomorrow, they’ll get back Derick Brassard. After missing the last two games with an upper body injury, he declared himself ready to go. He sustained an injury due to a hit from Canadiens’ defenseman Mike Weaver a couple of shifts into Game 1.
With Derek Stepan’s status doubtful due to a broken jaw suffered on a late hit by Brandon Prust, at least the Rangers will have Brassard. He can return and center Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello. After having solid chemistry with Dominic Moore, they were ineffective in Game 3. Getting Brassard back should certainly help. He also can provide a boost on the power play which went 0-for-2.
Brassard’s return comes at a perfect time with Daniel Carcillo suspended 10 games for making physical contact with linesman Scott Driscoll. Carcillo received Level 2 of a mandatory suspension. Level 3 would’ve been three games.
“I can’t begin to tell you how bad he feels about the whole thing,” Vigneault said. “His situation, his personal future, the team. There’s nothing he can do about it now and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“I heard a lot about him before but I don’t have one bad thing to say about him,” added Brad Richards on Carcillo.
With Vigneault indicating that Stepan was “unlikely” for Game 4 due to recovering from surgery which included a plate, J.T. Miller will take his place in the lineup. Miller has played in three postseason games tallying two assists with both coming in the first round against the Flyers. Since playing Game 3 of the second round against Pittsburgh, he’s sat out seven in a row.
It’ll be interesting to see how Vigneault uses Miller. Will he slide him on the top line or move Moore up? Maybe he’ll mix and match with Chris Kreider and Rick Nash. He hasn’t been afraid to double shift his best players. It won’t be easy to replace Stepan, who’s picked it up. With an assist in Game 3, he extended his playoff point streak to five straight (1-6-7). That includes a goal and four helpers in the first three games against Montreal. Everyone must step it up without him.
The NHL has suspended Brandon Prust two games for his illegal hit on Derek Stepan in Game 3. On the controversial play, Stepan suffered a broken jaw. The Rangers have listed him as day to day.
The full explanation of the suspension emphasizes that Stepan had already released the puck and took two steps away from Thomas Vanek when Prust blindsided him. As has been noted, he had enough time to avoid Stepan but instead delivered an illegal check that made contact with the chest and jaw. This is interference. Let’s examine it further.
Based on Rule 56.4, a major penalty can be assessed if the referee interprets the degree of violence as such. Rule 56.5 states the guilty player can be given a Game Misconduct Penalty. If it’s ruled a major penalty due to the foul resulting in an injury to the opponent, a game misconduct shall be imposed. In Prust’s case, it should’ve been an interference major and game for his deliberate attempt to injure Stepan. Instead, the three referee tandem of Marc Joanette, Kevin Pollock and Wes McCauley missed it entirely. Linesmen Steve Miller and Scott Driscoll must’ve been sleeping.
Here’s the long and the short of it. The Rangers should’ve been on a power play. Instead, no call was made. To their credit, they continued to press the attack and took a 1-0 lead to the locker room. However, they didn’t take full advantage of a sloppy period from the Canadiens. Who knows how it would’ve played out. The bottom line is they had an opponent on the ropes and let them off. Game 4 looms large.
What’s frustrating is the lack of consistency from the NHL. By all accounts, the officiating was abominable. There was more than one tweet about how substandard it was for a Conference Final. At this critical juncture, that shouldn’t be the case. The refereeing should be secondary. Last round versus the Pens, it was. They actually did a good job allowing the teams to decide it without missing many blatant infractions. Like the hockey, the officiating standard is supposed to go up. It hasn’t.
Even more baffling is that the explanation for Prust’s suspension would seem to indicate that he deserved more games. Granted, it’s only the second time he’s been suspended. However, he had every chance to avoid Stepan. So much for his motto, “accidentally on purpose.” Only because Stepan was able to return and play so well did Prust get off light. Plus the Rangers played a little gamesmanship to try to get more games. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Stepan returned Sunday and played with a caged helmet. Maybe he can put on his cape and pay back Prust on the scoreboard.
The Rangers got bad news on Derek Stepan. It was revealed that he suffered a broken jaw as a result from Brandon Prust’s late hit during the first period in Game 3 last night. Prust delivered the dangerous hit from the blindside making contact with Stepan’s chest and jaw. Stepan immediately went to the locker room for x-rays which came back negative. He missed over six minutes before returning.
Coach Alain Vigneault revealed the injury at a press conference earlier today. There’s no timetable for Stepan’s return. He’s undergoing surgery.
Prust is scheduled to have a telephone hearing this afternoon. The NHL will determine whether he’ll be disciplined for a hit that went unpenalized. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’ll get suspended. But for how long? What does it even matter? He did his job.
Obviously, my disappointment with the league officiating is at an all-time high. How five officials missed that is mystifying. Ironically, they called Stepan for hooking later because clearly that’s more blatant than Prust successfully injuring his former teammate. This is what you get from a hypocritical league that doesn’t get it. They program refs to call every hold and hook no matter how soft.
We already know Daniel Carcillo is likely to receive 10 games for making contact with an official. Yet there’s evidence that the same ref touched him escalating the situation. How about suspending the five blind mice?
Following a disappointing 3-2 overtime Game 3 defeat, Rangers center Derek Stepan took the high road regarding Brandon Prust’s late hit that sent him to the locker room in the first period. The questionable play came in the game’s first few shifts when the former Ranger came across and delivered a dangerous check that caught Stepan’s chest and made contact with his head.
When he left the ice, a furious Stepan let the referees know about it. He also had some strong words for Prust, who certainly got the Rangers attention. It was earlier in the series that he accused Chris Kreider of knocking out Montreal starting netminder Carey Price “accidentally on purpose.” With his team desperate to back in the game, Prust pushed the envelope by catching Stepan up high after the puck had been released. To get technical, it came nine tenths of a second late yet went undetected.
When asked about the severity of the hit, Stepan told a group of reporters he was mostly concerned about the head. He also noted that Prust got shoulder and that he was a bit vulnerable which resulted in contact to the head. There’s no question it came from the blindside. Before being asked whether the league should review it, Stepan was quick to point out that the main focus was on losing Game 3 and needing to respond Sunday.
The Canadiens celebrate a 3-2 overtime win over the Rangers in Game 3 courtesy of hero Alex Galcheynuk. AP Photo/Kathy Willens
The Canadiens are back in the series. Alex Galchenyuk’s goal at 1:12 of overtime won Game 3 to send Montreal to a 3-2 win over the Rangers at a stunned MSG. The second-year Hab drove the net and had Tomas Plekanec’s rebound deflect off him and in sending his team to a well deserved victory. They now trail the Eastern Conference Final two games to one. Game 4 is Sunday and now looms large. The winner will have all the momentum.
Montreal won despite getting dominated in a lopsided first period that saw them outshot 14-4. Fired up by an undetected cheap shot from Brandon Prust on Derek Stepan, the Rangers outskated and out chanced their opponent by a country mile. Wanting to avenge the hit, they finished every check and played with edge. There was also truculence with Derek Dorsett going after Prust but losing badly in a scrap. During the same scrum, an incensed Daniel Carcillo went overboard on an iffy charge by elbowing the referee. He deservedly was kicked out and faces league discipline. He will either serve a one-game ban or three for his stupidity.
By the same token, you have to wonder what refs Marc Joanette, Kevin Pollock and Wes McCauley were thinking. Somehow, they and the two linesmen didn’t see Prust come across and deliver a dangerous blindside hit to Stepan that easily could’ve resulted in a serious injury. Luckily, Stepan returned and played with anger delivering a big hit on Alexei Emelin. The same crew later missed a blatant Montreal bench minor but also missed an obvious Ryan McDonagh slash on Brendan Gallagher, who went to the box for interference. While the officiating was touchy with also an offside on the Rangers missed, that’s not why they lost. The bottom line is they gave a dangerous opponent life. Now, it’s a series.
Canadiens’ goalie Dustin Tokarski makes one of his 35 saves to help lift his team to a Game 3 victory. The Rangers lead the series 2-1. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Credit must go out to Dustin Tokarski. After coach Michel Therrien showed a lot of confidence in him, he rewarded him with a clutch performance finishing with 35 saves. That included several big stops with his team hanging on by a thread. He was the difference outperforming Henrik Lundqvist (21 saves). Lundqvist actually looked human allowing Andrei Markov to tie the game with an unscreened shot. He also had a bit of bad luck for a change with the Habs’ last two goals taking unfavorable bounces. Maybe P.K. Subban knew something. Outside of that, he was quiet.
It started out promising for the home side. After getting all sorts of chances, the Rangers finally took a 1-0 lead when a sliding Hagelin blocked a Subban point shot and broke in two-on-one. Patiently waiting for trailer Martin St. Louis, he fed across for a St. Louis one-timer that a diving Josh Gorges saved. But Hagelin came back for the rebound escaping a weak Thomas Vanek back check for the first goal at 15:18.
Markov tied it up 3:20 into the second. Following a close call at the other end, he took a Max Pacioretty cross-ice feed and beat Lundqvist from the right circle. Gallagher helped set it up earning a secondary assist. Back even, the Habs started to turn the tide. Using their speed, they began to escape Ranger checks and test Lundqvist. In particular, Gallagher and Pacioretty were dangerous along with David Desharnais. Lundqvist stopped eight of nine.
While the play was more even, the Rangers certainly had their chances. They got 13 more shots on Tokarski but he stayed cool throughout. He did a good job taking away the low part of the net. He allowed rebounds but his team defense protected him. There was also a sliding save on St. Louis later that was at the top of the list. Outside of Chris Kreider, who eventually forced sudden death, the Blueshirts didn’t get enough traffic. They also weren’t able to go high on him. An adjustment that must be made when the series resumes.
There weren’t many penalties called despite protests from both benches. They nabbed Stepan for a hooking minor which got a angry look. Who could blame him? For a third straight game, the Rangers penalty kill got the job done killing both Montreal power plays. They’re now 0-for-9. On the Ranger side, they went 0-for-2 despite getting some looks. On one, they didn’t take advantage of a broken stick only managing one shot. There was the controversial call on Gallagher which got plenty of gripes from Therrien.
The third was tentatively played. Montreal played looser and it showed. For over half a period, they limited the Rangers to three shots. Not nearly enough against a hot goalie. The Canadiens were quietly getting better quality chances forcing Lundqvist to make some difficult saves. It was following a dominant shift from Stepan’s line with Kreider and Rick Nash that the Habs struck in transition. Following a Lundqvist stop on Rene Bourque, he denied Vanek. But Vanek stayed with it behind the net leading to an odd goal from Danny Briere, who wisely banked the puck off McDonagh’s skate to give Montreal a 2-1 lead with 3:02 left in regulation.
Chris Kreider celebrates his tying goal late in regulation that sent Game 3 to overtime. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Urged on by a too quiet crowd who seemed nervous, the Rangers pulled Lundqvist and found a way to tie it. After he went to the bench with under 90 seconds to go, they really pressed the action. Tokarski made some big saves but was blameless when Kreider managed to deflect a Girardi shot off Emelin and in at 19:31 sending MSG into bedlam. They nearly ended it on the next shift. With Therrien only playing with five defensemen, his team looked tired and barely managed to get it to OT.
In sudden death following a Ranger cycle, Plekanec took a Brian Gionta feed and gained the Ranger zone. Holding onto the puck, he patiently waited before firing a wrister from the left circle which Lundqvist got a piece of. However, an unchecked Galchenyuk had the good fortune of the puck bouncing off his chest and in for the game-winner only 72 seconds into overtime. That could be a series shifter.
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Carl Hagelin, NYR (goal-5th, 5 SOG in 26 shifts-17:16-the only consistent forward. Where was everyone else?)
2nd Star-Alex Galchenyuk, MTL (scored winner at 1:12 of OT-1st of playoffs, +1 in 23 shifts-15:13-speedy winger drove net)
1st Star-Dustin Tokarski, MTL (35 saves incl. 13/14 in 1st, 13/13 in 2nd, 8/9 in 3rd, 1 save in OT-kid stole the show on Broadway)
Chris Kreider’s goal with under 29 seconds left in regulation has sent Game 3 to overtime. With Henrik Lundqvist pulled for an extra attacker, the Rangers furiously pushed for the equalizer after falling behind by a goal with 3:02 left. The Canadiens’ Danny Briere put his team in front when he banked a loose puck off Ryan McDonagh and in.
Kreider redirected a Dan Girardi shot off Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin past Dustin Tokarski to force sudden death. His third of the postseason comes from Girardi and Derek Stepan. Stepan, who back in the first took a dangerous blindside hit from Brandon Prust, hasn’t shown any ill effects since going to the locker room. Fortunate for the Ranger side with Derick Brassard still out and Daniel Carcillo losing his mind by bumping a ref on an iffy penalty to earn a game misconduct and potential suspension.
The Canadien goal scorers are Andrei Markov and Briere. The Ranger goal scorers are Carl Hagelin and Kreider. Who will play the hero? Our OT picks:
Derick Brassard celebrates a goal with teammates Benoit Pouliot and Ryan McDonagh. His overtime winner allowed the Rangers to prevail over the Penguins in Game 1 3-2. AP Photos/Gene J. Puskar
For a second straight game, the Rangers will have to do it without Derick Brassard. The key center between Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello left Game 1 after taking a hit by Canadiens’ defenseman Mike Weaver in the first period. He’ll again sit out for Game 3.
Perhaps with his team up two games, coach Alain Vigneault doesn’t want to take any chances. There’s no point in rushing Brassard back. A year removed from being acquired along with Derek Dorsett and John Moore from Columbus for Marian Gaborik, Brassard has been a key contributor. After leading the Rangers in scoring last postseason with 11 points (5-6-11), he has four goals and three assists so far.
Without him, Vigneault has used versatile center Dominic Moore to center Pouliot and Zuccarello. Moore was instrumental in Game 1 setting up the first two goals in a 7-2 rout. He also made a smart play getting the puck deep following Max Pacioretty’s goal in Game 2. It helped lead to Ryan McDonagh’s tying goal 17 seconds later which was a huge turning point. He’ll again play with Pouliot and Zuccarello.
Vigneault will also keep Daniel Carcillo in the lineup working on the fourth line with Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett. There are no changes from last game. The lines remain intact.
Finally, the Rangers play host to the Canadiens for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. At what should be a raucous environment at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers look to continue a run that’s seen them win five consecutive postseason games. They’ve outscored the Pens and Canadiens 20-6 putting them within two victories of making their first Stanley Cup appearance in 20 years.
With all the hoopla surrounding them, they must be careful to guard against a letdown. It’s felt like ages since the two teams have played. It was on Monday that the Rangers backed by Henrik Lundqvist’s 40 saves defeated the Canadiens 3-1 to sweep the first two games at Bell Centre. With a layoff preempting the third round series from resuming, much talk has centered around Lundqvist. His brilliance has seen him stop 162 of the last 168 shots during the five-game run.
Frustrated after taking 18 shots with half making the net, Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban called Lundqvist ‘lucky.’ At this time of year, you do need a little luck to be successful. Obviously, the former Norris winner is trying to fire up his team after they controlled play in Game 2 but didn’t get the breaks coach Michel Therrien referenced. If they continue to get that amount of pressure, Subban’s right. They’ll start going in.
Having an extra day off to prepare probably helps the Canadiens. It also can halt the Rangers’ momentum. When they take the ice after 8 PM, they can’t allow a desperate opponent to turn the tide. As they already know, any series can change quickly. In the first two games, Montreal has only led for 17 seconds with Max Pacioretty’s goal followed up by Ryan McDonagh’s bank shot off Josh Gorges that Dustin Tokarski had no chance on. Sometimes, you do get bounces. But as Brian Boyle noted, you make your own breaks.
One reason they’re in good position is special teams. The power play is 4-for-10 and the penalty kill is a perfect 7-for-7 against one of the most lethal units. That development wasn’t expected. It’s been the execution of a revitalized Rangers power play featuring Chris Kreider that’s taken advantage of the Habs. Able to move the puck efficiently and get traffic in front, they’ve gotten it done. The discipline of their penalty killers has been equally impressive. While it’s impossible to prevent Subban from bombing away at the point, they’ve kept most of the chances to the outside. When they’ve gotten in trouble, Lundqvist has bailed them out.
With Therrien opting to stick with Tokarski, he’s viewing his playoff debut the same way I have. He wasn’t to blame for any of the three goals and made quality stops that gave his team a chance. The Rangers must make his life difficult. Move him side to side and attempt shots from different angles while getting bodies to the net. As coach Alain Vigneault has pointed out, the challenge remains the same. Do what they have to be successful.
There will be plenty of energy at MSG. An experienced group who’s been through the playoff grind can’t take it for granted. In 2012, the Blueshirts led the Devils 2-1 but never won another game. The pain from that crushing defeat hasn’t been lost on the remaining 10 players. Brad Richards drove a point home about how hard it is to get back. He and Martin St. Louis have never been to another Cup Final since winning together 10 years ago. Lundqvist was also quick to point out how he felt the 2012 team didn’t leave it all out there or reach its full potential, basically referencing himself.
Motivation isn’t lacking for this group that’s bonded since the sad death of St. Louis’ Mom France. They have played together as a unit and that’s what’s gotten them here. Don’t let the Habs breathe. Game 4 isn’t till Sunday. Thanks to the wacky schedule of NBC and CBC, this series will drag out. The Rangers’ task is simple. Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Feed off the energy of the crowd. Take the next step.
Getting Nashty: Rick Nash celebrates his second goal in as many games with Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider. AP Photo/The Canadien Press/Graham Hughes
It’s official. The Rangers are on a roll and it’s taken them within two wins of playing for the Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years. By following up with an even more impressive 3-1 Game 2 victory over the Canadiens at Bell Centre, they finally snapped the streak of losing 14 straight when leading a series. They’ll take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final back to MSG for Game 3 on Thursday.
They owe it in large part to Henrik Lundqvist, who was again brilliant stopping 40 of 41 shots en route to a fifth straight win. Getting remarkable goaltending from their best player allowed the Rangers to settle down following a predictable Habs’ onslaught. He stood on his head. That included making 13 saves in a hectic first period that somehow saw the Rangers sneak out with a 2-1 lead.
”I thought we played well, and the only reason we lost was Lundqvist,” Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. ”He stole that game.”
If there is one thing he’s right about, Therrien is on Lundqvist’s performance. Right now, he’s in a zone having stopped 162 of 168 shots during the Rangers last five wins. With the former Vezina winner taking care of business in net, it’s allowed his teammates to play with confidence. They’ve outscored opponents 20-6 during the stretch and have put themselves in a strong position to play into June.
It didn’t start out looking that way. With a much more aggressive Canadiens attack pressing the action, Lundqvist was under siege. They had the first four shots in just a couple of minutes. The Rangers were shaky turning over the puck which finally allowed Montreal to take a lead when Max Pacioretty got a favorable bounce off Lundqvist for an unassisted tally at 6:14. Following a Derek Stepan turnover, the Habs kept the Rangers pinned in until Mats Zuccarello over skated a puck allowing Pacioretty to have the good fortune of Lundqvist poking the puck off him and hop over the goalie into the net.
With the crowd in a frenzy, the Rangers responded immediately when only 17 seconds later Ryan McDonagh got a similar break with his point shot caroming off Habs’ defenseman Josh Gorges past Game 2 starter Dustin Tokarski. Dominic Moore made the play by getting the puck in deep. His forecheck forced a turnover allowing McDonagh the room and space to fire it quickly to tie the score. With Derick Brassard out due to injury, Moore again centered Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot doing a solid job. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault inserted Daniel Carcillo on the fourth line.
”We knew they were going to come hard, but we put ourselves in a tough spot there by not getting pucks out,” Lundqvist said. ”They were all over us.
”But to tie it up quickly like that, I think that was important to kind of even out the momentum a little bit.”
Undeterred, the Canadiens continued to come. However, they once led in shots 12-3 before the Rangers got their footing. Montreal was unable to take advantage of eight giveaways. When Lundqvist wasn’t stifling them, Thomas Vanek was taking a bad slashing minor on McDonagh that negated a power play. For the game, the Habs were unable to score in four opportunities making them 0-for-6 in the series. Despite what Therrien contested about getting the bounces and the calls at the right time, his team has failed on the man-advantage.
For a second consecutive game, Rick Nash scored. Unlike Game 1 when he got his first of the playoffs in a blowout, this time he made his second one count. With the game still knotted, he finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play from the combination of Stepan and Bell Centre target Chris Kreider. Forcing a turnover in the neutral zone, Kreider worked a give and go with Stepan, who drove the net leaving a perfect gap for Kreider to dish across for a sweet Nash finish that put the Rangers ahead 2-1 with 1:02 left in the period. The reaction of the bench led by Kevin Klein (seen above) was priceless. It speaks to the chemistry they have.
A tighter second saw the Rangers play better in front of Lundqvist. After being outshot 14-9, they held a 11-8 edge and were able to limit the Canadiens’ opportunities. Even P.K. Subban (game high 9 SOG) couldn’t solve Lundqvist. The Habs’ dangerous defenseman actually took 18 shots with six attempts never making it while another three missed completely. For a second consecutive game, he struggled defensively. Despite teaming with Gorges to match-up against Kreider, the tandem were on for the Rangers’ first two goals. Subban also took out frustration getting a roughing minor that gave the Rangers a power play they were unable to cash in on.
Still nursing a one-goal lead, the Rangers benefited from a weak call on Alex Galchenyuk. With Carl Hagelin skating by, he was nabbed for tripping. But replays showed that Hagelin was already going down with Galchenyuk hardly making contact. It was a bad call which Therrien alluded to in the postgame. His team didn’t get the job done.
Instead, they allowed a crucial power play goal to Martin St. Louis at 8:03 that increased the Rangers’ lead to 3-1. On the play, Stepan and McDonagh played catch down low before Stepan perfectly set up St. Louis for a rocket that went thru a Kreider screen top shelf. Neither Canadien defenseman took Kreider making Tokarski blameless. Aside from maybe not getting across fast enough on Nash’s tally, he played well making 30 saves including some key ones that gave his team a chance.
”It was a lot of fun,” Tokarski admitted on his first postseason start. ”There was a lot of adrenaline. You grow up as a kid wanting to play in the playoffs, and I got the opportunity and just came up a bit short.”
”He’s a winner,” Therrien added in reference to Tokarski’s resume which includes a Memorial Cup, WJC gold and Calder Cup. ”I thought he played well. We talked to Peter [Budaj] and he reacted as a pro. He’s a good teammate.”
Therrien has an interesting decision when the series shifts to MSG. Does he stick with Tokarski, who got better as the game went on or go back to Budaj, who might be a better play on the road? Coincidentally, the last time these teams met, the Rangers climbed out of an 0-2 deficit by winning twice in Montreal before finishing it off in six. It’s far from over.
Henrik Lundqvist battles Brendan Gallagher in front during Game 2. He made 40 saves leading the Rangers to a 3-1 win over the Canadiens. AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes
With 10 holdovers from the 2011-12 team that lost in the same round to the Devils, they shouldn’t need any reminders. Listening to Lundqvist speak to the press afterwards was a treat. He mentioned how he felt last time, he didn’t think they gave all they could including himself. He talked about how that team didn’t reach its full potential. This time, they seem very focused. A big reason for that is the leadership of Brad Richards, who along with St. Louis got the message across not to take it for granted. Neither has been back to the Stanley Cup Final since winning a decade ago.
”The Canadiens were coming wave after wave in the first period,” St. Louis said after extending his point streak to four straight (3-2-5). ”If it wasn’t for Lundqvist, there might have been a different result after the first.
”He gave us time to find our legs. The goal by Mac was a big one. It calmed everyone down and allowed us to regroup.”
Despite allowing 19 shots in the third, the Rangers let Lundqvist see every one. The Canadiens didn’t get enough traffic. Even with Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Plekanec getting point blank chances while Subban bombed away, they couldn’t get one by a locked in Lundqvist. This is as good as I’ve ever seen him play. He’s playing the way Mike Richter did during some other run that resulted in a championship.
It wasn’t as if they sat back. The Rangers had 10 shots themselves but were turned away by Tokarski. They continued to attack playing smart defensive hockey by chipping pucks in and getting pressure. An ill advised boarding penalty by Pouliot, who foolishly caught Alexei Emelin from behind sending him to the locker room with 4:22 left allowed Therrien to pull Tokarski for a 6-on-4. Pouliot is lucky he didn’t receive more than two. The NHL should review the incident because it was that egregious.
When Lundqvist wasn’t eating up Habs shots, his team defense kept them to the outside and of course sacrificed for common good. The Rangers blocked 17 shots led by Dan Girardi (5) with ultimate warrior Brian Boyle blocking three along with Marc Staal, who recovered from a sluggish start. They may have lost on faceoffs 34-29 but they won key ones including several from Boyle and a couple of notables from Stepan.
Overall, it was a great team effort that allowed them to take both games in Montreal. Now, the Habs have the unenviable task of needing to win four of five. For the Rangers, they can’t be satisfied. The next game is the key.
BONY 3 Stars:
3rd Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (2 assists, 4 SOG, 9-for-14 on draws in 29 shifts-19:10-strong defensively)
2nd Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (goal-3rd, assist, team high 6 SOG, 2-3-5 vs Habs, +1 in 33 shifts-25:24-Mac Truck)
1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (40 saves incl. 13/14 in 1st, 8/8 in 2nd, 19/19 in 3rd-the crown jewel)
hasan4978
Derek
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