Battle Of Hudson

Maybe Brandon Prust and Michel Therrien knew Carey Price’s injury was serious enough to keep him out the rest of the series. Therrien delivered the bad news after the morning skate at Bell Centre.

It’s a big blow to the Canadiens. They lost their best player. During the second period of Game 1, Rangers forward Chris Kreider collided with Price following a breakaway banging into the goalie’s right knee. On the play, Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin dove and got a piece of Kreider with his stick sending him flying into Price. He was unable to control his momentum which was unfortunate. Price stayed in the game but was replaced by Peter Budaj for the third period.

When Therrien was noncommittal yesterday, that was probably a tip off that Price wouldn’t be available. He now must decide between Budaj and Dustin Tokarski for Game 2. It looks like he’s going with Tokarski. An interesting decision considering that Budaj has been a reliable backup. Perhaps allowing three goals Sunday made Therrien change his mind.

The extent of Tokarski’s career versus the Rangers is one appearance as a member of the Lightning on Jan. 19, 2010. He allowed three goals on 11 shots in 24:21. HT Mike Morreale. In three games with the Canadiens this season, he went 2-0 with a 1.84 goals-against-average, .946 save percentage and one shutout. Originally a Tampa Bay ’08 fifth round pick, he was acquired by Montreal last year for Cedrick Desjardins. He’s 24 and has won a Memorial Cup, WJC gold and a Calder Cup. He’ll face a lot more pressure tonight.

Maybe Therrien just prefers to go with a guy the Rangers haven’t seen. Sometimes, playing a virtual unknown can work. Bruce Boudreau did it with Semyon Varlamov once. Paul Maurice masterfully replaced Arturs Irbe with Kevin Weekes. If it doesn’t work, he has Budaj in reserve.

No matter what, the task remains the same for the Rangers. They should expect the Habs’ best game. The crowd will be even more fired up. Expect them to let Kreider have it. They’re passionate fans who will try to rally their club. Montreal might get back Alex Galchenyuk. That would be a big boost. He’s got game breaking speed and is very talented.

From a Ranger standpoint, Derick Brassard remains uncertain for tonight. With two days off between Games 2 and 3, coach Alain Vigneault has a tough decision. He can play him knowing there’s an extra day of rest or sit him knowing it runs a risk. Vigneault has options available in Daniel Carcillo and J.T. Miller. Given how effectively Dominic Moore played with Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello, Vigneault can sub either Carcillo or Miller. Personally, I think Miller is a better fit for this series due to his size, skating and forechecking. If he plays Carcillo, it’ll be just to add toughness in case the Habs take liberties.

Regarding Therrien’s assertion that Kreider’s play was “reckless,” no comment. Kreider has lightning speed and as he took his shot was tripped by Emelin. Therrien referring to Kreider’s reputation is just a way of reminding the refs to keep an eye on him. I hope Kreider doesn’t let it affect him. He must continue to stay aggressive. If their players want to take penalties, that benefits the Rangers.

It all shapes up as an exciting storyline for Game 2. How will the Canadiens come out? Will they use it as motivation or look for revenge? The Rangers must control their emotions. They also still have that losing streak when leading a series. It should be interesting.

It only took a day for the Canadiens to complain about something. During yesterday’s Rangers 7-2 Game 1 thumping, Chris Kreider fell awkwardly into Carey Price in the second period. He got by Alexei Emelin and broke in on Price firing a shot over the net. As he attempted his shot, Emelin’s stick tripped Kreider causing him to collide into Price’s right knee.

Fortunately, Price stayed in the game before getting yanked after the second period. He didn’t practice today. Montreal coach Michel Therrien didn’t indicate whether Price will start tomorrow for Game 2.

With much of the attention on Price, Brandon Prust decided to voice his opinion on the collision. The former Ranger said Kreider ran into Price “accidentally on purpose.” Not shockingly, Therrien agreed.

“I reviewed the incident,” he told reporters. “Obviously, it was an accidental contact, but let’s put it this way, he didn’t make much effort to avoid the contact.

“I’m sure the intention of the player was not to hit the goalie, but you have to try to do everything in your power to avoid contact and it’s tough to say if he tried everything to avoid that contact.”

Let’s make it perfectly clear that Therrien is right that the attacking player is supposed to try to avoid contact. In reviewing it, Kreider was tripped by Emelin as he attempted his shot causing him to lose balance. His momentum carried him into Price. Where was he supposed to go? I don’t think he had enough time to prevent the collision.

Leave it to Prust to stir things up. The same player who early in the third period lost his discipline slashing Kreider and roughed him up. For his stupidity, he was assessed a double minor for slashing and unsportsmanlike conduct and given an extra 10 for a misconduct. He later referenced being frustrated with Kreider for running into Price. Fittingly, the Rangers made Prust pay by scoring twice with Derek Stepan and Rick  Nash connecting on the power play to make it 7-1.

So much for any respect I had for Prust. While I do understand why he opened his mouth, it’s amusing. I don’t remember him complaining much during his stint with the Rangers. Maybe it’s a Canadien thing. Montreal has a tendency to gripe when things don’t go their way. If Kreider’s accidental collision with Price is what’s bothering them, they have issues. They got humiliated on home ice. If they want to even the series, the Habs must be much better tomorrow night.

Amusingly, the controversy has trended on Twitter. #Brandon Prust, #Kreider and #Price are front and center. “Accidentally on Purpose” has been used by Canadiens and Rangers fans.

Chris Kreider is congratulated by Martin St. Louis following his goal that made it 3-1 with 1:01 left in the second period. The Rangers took Game 1 7-2 over the Canadiens.
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

If it were a heavyweight fight, they would’ve stopped it early. In what can be best described as a dominant performance, the Rangers delivered a message by defeating the Canadiens 7-2 to take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final at a stunned Bell Centre. Seven different players scored including Rick Nash, who finally erased a 17-game postseason drought. The seven-goal barrage included three consecutive power play goals in the third period to break it open.

Eleven different Rangers hit the score sheet. They were led by Ryan McDonagh. As if to remind Montreal what they gave up, he tallied a goal and three assists. The four points were the most by a Ranger defenseman in the playoffs since Brian Leetch in 1994. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and two helpers. Seven different players registered at least two points including Nash (1-1-2), Chris Kreider (1-1-2), Martin St. Louis (1-1-2), Derek Stepan (1-1-2) and Dominic Moore (2 assists).

”You don’t look at the score,” Brad Richards said after scoring a back breaker with only 12 seconds left in the second that gave his team a 4-1 lead and chased Habs’ starter Carey Price (4 GA on 20 shots). ”That’s not indicative of how anything’s going to happen in this series.

”We got fortunate. We got some bounces. We got some momentum, and pucks went in the net. It was a win, that’s all it was. We’re very aware that it’s going to be a lot different.”

Following pregame ceremonies, one team was ready. Right away, the Rangers established early momentum with a strong cycle. As if to prove a point, McDonagh blew past two Canadiens off a faceoff win in the neutral zone forcing Price to make a tough stop. Despite losing Derick Brassard to an injury stemming from a Mike Weaver hit, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault slid Dominic Moore between Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. Moore played a key role setting up the first two goals 1:52 apart. Out for a shift with Carl Hagelin and St. Louis, Moore got to a Kevin Klein pass and made a nice backhand feed for an open St. Louis in front for the game’s first goal.

An overjoyed Martin St. Louis celebrates his first period goal in Game 1.
AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz

”Emotionally, for us, that is something really strong right now,” Vigneault stated about how close knit the team is since St. Louis’ Mom France passed away. The entire team will attend her funeral tomorrow in Montreal. ”I know quite a few of our guys went to the wake (on Friday), and I texted with Marty last night to make sure that everything was good.

”It was an emotional time for everyone, but the guys have been behind me and supported me,” St. Louis expressed after being named the game’s number one star. ”My teammates are behind me and supporting me, and their effort was unbelievable.

”We feel really close right now and we’re trying to keep feeding off that.”

His goal set the tone. With Bell Centre looking for any reason to support their heroes, St. Louis and Zuccarello each tallied less than two minutes apart to take the crowd out of it. Off a great shift, Moore centered the puck in front for a pinching McDonagh. He got a piece of it leaving Zuccarello alone to stuff home his fourth at 6:27. The Rangers nearly made it 3-0 but had a shot ring off the crossbar. They also failed on two power plays with Rene Bourque in the box for consecutive hooking minors. After severely outplaying the Canadiens outshooting them 12-6, they took a two-goal lead to the locker room.

Henrik Lundqvist makes a glove save in Game 1. He finished with 20 saves.
AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Following intermission, a much sharper Habs came out more aggressively. They began to dictate the play off the forecheck. Finally generating quality chances, they tested Henrik Lundqvist. One of the stories coming in was how poorly he’s played at Bell Centre. Lundqvist hadn’t gotten a start in four years. Whatever affected him had no impact in Game 1. Continuing to ride the momentum of stoning Pittsburgh, he was in a zone. Making acrobatic stops including a huge glove denial on P.K. Subban off a spectacular end to end rush, it didn’t appear Montreal would beat him. He made 20 saves with nine coming in a busier second.

The Habs finally broke through thanks to Bourque, who got a piece of a Brian Gionta centering feed and had the puck carom off McDonagh past Lundqvist, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 7:22 remaining. With the building suddenly alive, they searched for more. A Brian Boyle hold on Subban in the offensive zone handed them a power play. Everyone knows how dangerous the Montreal man-advantage is. Boasting the lethal shot of Subban, they try to set him up from everywhere. Luckily, his one bomb missed its target. Even without Boyle, the Rangers had a strong penalty kill not allowing a shot.

A turning point came with over a minute left in the second. Throughout the game, Kreider had used his breakaway speed to get dangerous chances on Price. That included an early breakaway which a diving Alexei Emelin broke up. He also set up another that went off the goal post. This time, McDonagh made an outlet for Nash, who hit Kreider in stride for a one on one with Price. Kreider went short side restoring a two-goal lead with 61 seconds left. What came next was stunning. Incredibly, Subban fumbled away a puck inside his blueline leading directly to Zuccarello skating in and tricking Price by passing behind him to Richards for a back breaking goal at 19:48. Just like that, the Rangers were in control despite getting largely outplayed.

Montreal coach Michel Therrien decided to sit Price at the start of the third replacing him with backup Peter Budaj. Price nearly was injured on a collision with Kreider when Kreider lost his momentum on a break in falling into Price’s right leg. Fortunately, he was okay. Therrien didn’t like how his team played defensively and gave his starter the rest of the game off to recover. Game 2 is Monday.

”Good thing it’s a seven-game series and we have a chance to get back in it on Monday,” Bourque said of his team’s struggles. ”I think we had a little bit of an emotional letdown after the Boston series.

”We talked about that to going into the game. Obviously, it didn’t click. We have to just forget about this game.”

While that might be true, the Canadiens lost their discipline in the third. They took four consecutive penalties which took them out of the game entirely. A Subban high-sticking minor led directly to McDonagh blasting a one-timer top shelf that made it 5-1 at 1:28. Stepan and Kreider set it up.

Max Pacioretty took out frustration with a rough putting the Rangers back on the power play. Equally as frustrated, former Ranger Brandon Prust slashed and roughed up Kreider in front earning a double-minor (slashing and unsportsmanlike conduct) while getting assessed a 10-minute misconduct. The Rangers made him pay dearly. On a 5-on-3, McDonagh and St. Louis perfectly set up Stepan for a power play goal that made it 6-1 at 4:11. Still on the power play, Zuccarello and John Moore combined to feed Nash in front increasing the lead to 7-1 just 25 seconds later. That concluded a stretch where the Rangers scored five goals in a 5:37 span dating back to Kreider’s goal with 1:01 left in the second.

”We’re all happy to see Nasher score because he’s taken a lot of heat,” Richards said. ”That’s a little weight off his back.

”We won the game. When you’re in the playoffs, when it’s 7-1, no one’s jumping up and down about who scored goals.”

Lars Eller gave what was left of a disappointed crowd a shorthanded goal at 15:22 that concluded the scoring. It’s only one game but what a way to start it off for the Rangers. They played tremendously and took advantage of every Canadiens’ mistake. In listening to Vigneault on the postgame, they must be careful not to get overconfident. Game 2 is Monday night at 8 PM. Montreal will be desperate. Just as a reminder, the Rangers lost their momentum in the same situation last round.

Vigneault indicated that Brassard is “day-to-day.” He might opt to rest him with a two-day gap between Games 2 and 3. The series shifts to MSG next Thursday. Game 4 isn’t till Sunday, May 25. The remainder of the series, all start times are 8 PM. Game 5 is May 27 at Bell Centre. Game 6 is May 29 at MSG. Game 7 is May 31 at Bell Centre.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Chris Kreider, NYR (goal-2nd, assist, 3 SOG, 4 hits, +1 in 24 shifts-16:25-NYR 4-0 since he returned)

2nd Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (2 assists, 9-for-18 on draws, +2 in 26 shifts-16:36-Super Dom)

1st Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (PPG-2nd, 3 assists, 4-point explosion, +2 in 30 shifts-24:01-how’s that for statement)

With a goal in the Rangers’ 7-2 win in Game 1 over the Canadiens, Rick Nash finally snapped a 17-game playoff goal drought.

Finally, Rick Nash scored. After going the first 14 games without a goal, the much discussed Rangers forward finally got off the snide. It came in the third period of the Rangers’ 7-2 Game 1 win over the Canadiens. On the back end of an extended power play, Nash got the monkey off his back when he beat Peter Budaj extending the Rangers’ lead to 7-1. Ironically, I called it.

https://twitter.com/NewYorkPuck/status/467744318808391683

Nash was having a good offensive game generating quality chances and assisting on Chris Kreider’s huge breakaway tally with 61 seconds left in the second period. At the time, the Rangers were clinging onto a 2-1 lead in a period the Canadiens dominated. Montreal had already sliced a two-goal deficit to one on a goal from Rene Bourque. A key Rangers penalty kill prevented them from even getting a shot. Before Kreider scored, Henrik Lundqvist stoned former teammate Brandon Prust. Brad Richards added a crusher with under 12 seconds left giving them a 4-1 lead after two.

At one point, the Rangers scored on three straight shots in a 2:29 span. After Ryan McDonagh tallied, Derek Stepan and Nash each notched power play goals. Stepan’s came on a 5-on-3 perfectly set up by the combination of Martin St. Louis and McDonagh. Twenty-five seconds later, Nash finally got one to go after taking a Mats Zuccarello feed in the slot. John Moore added a secondary helper.

It was important for Nash to score. Dating back to last year’s second round against Boston, he had gone 17 consecutive games without a goal in the postseason. From a psychological standpoint, it can only be a huge confidence boost. Even though he hasn’t been scoring, Nash has done the other things to help the team advance including finishing checks and blocking shots. It’s nice to see him finally break through.

Nash and Stepan become more essential if Derick Brassard can’t return. With Kreider flying, it’s encouraging. In Game 1, all three scored. A big series from the top line is a recipe for success.

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

The Rangers are on their way to winning Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Canadiens at Bell Centre. However, it doesn’t come without concern. Center Derick Brassard left the game in the first period with an upper body injury. On his second shift, he took a tough hit from Montreal defenseman Mike Weaver. Brassard soon left with trainer Jim Ramsay to the locker room.

Brassard has been a key performer. In the Rangers’ second round comeback over the Pens, he scored three goals and set up one other in the final three games. For the series, he led them with four goals. Centering a line with Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello, he’s been a constant for Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. With him unable to return, the injury could be serious. If so, Vigneault might have an interesting decision for Game 2 Monday. I would insert J.T. Miller over Daniel Carcillo because Miller is bigger and more offensive minded.

For one game at least, Vigneault has successfully used Dominic Moore in Brassard’s place. The inspirational Masterton Trophy favorite helped set up the first two goals in the first period. He’s versatile enough to trust. Especially on faceoffs. Moore has been a great addition. Today exemplifies why.

Among the top story lines between the Canadiens and Rangers, the goalie battle between Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist promises to be intense.
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When the puck officially drops for the Eastern Conference Final Saturday afternoon at Bell Centre, the Rangers and Canadiens will make for great story lines. Fans of the sport along with NBC will have plenty to choose from. Here are our top eight.

1.Lundqvist vs Price-Perhaps the biggest story line on ice will be the play of two of the NHL’s best goalies. In Henrik Lundqvist and Carey Price, it promises to be a battle among elite netminders who have carried their teams to this point. Entering Round 3, Lundqvist is tied for second in goals-against-average (1.99) and tied for first in save percentage (.931) while sporting a perfect 4-0 mark and 1.00 GAA in elimination games. The new playoff record holder with five consecutive Game 7 wins brings that into Montreal where he’s struggled. He’ll face Price, who brings in an 8-3 record with a 2.15 GAA, .926 save percentage and one shutout. It’s the first time in his career he’ll appear in the third round. For Lundqvist, it’s his second appearance in three years. Which goalie will come out on top?

2.Vigneault Faces Former Team-Before he guided the Canucks to a Stanley Cup Final appearance, Alain Vigneault began his NHL coaching career behind the Montreal bench. Taking over for Mario Tremblay in ’97-98, he lasted three plus seasons getting the Canadiens to one postseason appearance. He was fired 20 games into his fourth year in ’00-01. Over a decade later, he goes up against his former team.

3.Vigneault vs Therrien-Sticking with the coaching theme, this match-up pits Vigneault against the guy who replaced him. Interestingly, Michel Therrien spent parts of three seasons with the Habs before they gave him the ax during ’02-03. After coaching the Pens, he returned to Montreal last year. Following regular season success, Therrien’s club bowed out in the first round. In Year 2, they are fresh off ousting Ottawa and Boston to make the Conference Final for the first time since 2009. Both Vigneault and Therrien have learned valuable lessons. Now, we find out who can get their team further.

4.McDonagh vs Canadiens-Once, Ryan McDonagh was drafted by the Canadiens in the first round of the ’07 Draft 12th overall. For some reason, he fell out of favor in Montreal. Then general manager Bob Gainey included him as part of a package to the Rangers for Scott Gomez. A deal viewed as one of the worst or best depending on which side of the fence you’re on. Glen Sather not only dumped salary but landed a top defenseman who’s become a staple. Entering the third round, a banged up McDonagh only has three points and a minus-four rating. However, he was much better the final three scoring a big goal while setting up two others and returning to top defensive form. Will he come back to haunt the Habs?

5.P.K. Subban-He’s the most dangerous defenseman left in the tournament. The blueline leader and Habs’ leader in points (12), P.K. Subban can have a huge impact on the series. Of his dozen points, 10 have come on the power play including three PPG’s. It’s where he does most of his damage. That heavy shot is deadly. The Rangers penalty killers must be aware of where he is and limit his time and space. Avoid the penalty box. It’s not just his on ice performance but his colorful personality that make him a lightning rod. He’s already said he feels sorry for the Habs’ next opponent when they visit Bell Centre. He’s right.

6.Prust Ready To See Former Team-In another fun subplot, Brandon Prust goes up against his former team. It was with the Rangers where he flourished becoming an integral part of the ’11-12 Black and Blueshirts identity helping them reach the Eastern Conference Final. Ironically, he teamed with Brian Boyle to form a dynamic duo ex-coach John Tortorella trusted in checking and penalty killing situations. After departing for bigger bucks in the summer of 2012, Prust is playing a similar role on the Habs’ fourth line. You know he’ll want to stick it to Slats. Will he be able to play under control?

7.Will Weise Be A Thorn In Rangers’ Side? Don’t forget Dale Weise, who originally started with the Rangers and also teams with Prust. In a twist of fate, he was acquired from Vancouver for Raphael Diaz, who now is the Rangers’ extra defenseman. Weise has become one of the unsung playoff heroes scoring three goals including the first one in Montreal’s 3-1 Game 7 elimination of the Bruins.

8.Pouliot Faces Habs-Benoit Pouliot has gone through many teams. His second one was Montreal after being acquired from Minnesota for Guillaume Latendresse. He lasted two years with the Habs totaling 29 goals and 33 assists for 62 points. After spending a year in Boston and then Tampa, he’s landed on his feet in Manhattan. Under Vigneault, he’s flourished playing a key role on the Rangers’ pseudo top line with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. Pouliot has followed up a good regular season in which he set career highs in games (80), assists (21), points (36) and power play goals (7) by going 3-5-8 and plus-four in the first two rounds. His eight points put him in a three-way tie for second in team scoring trailing only Brad Richards. How motivated will he be against a team that gave up on him?

Old Rivalry Renewed: The Rangers and Canadiens will battle for a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.

For the first time since 1986, the Rangers and Canadiens will play in the Conference Final for a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. By virtue of the Habs’ 3-1 win in Game 7 over the Bruins, they guaranteed that either they or the Rangers will play for Lord Stanley for the first time in two decades. The Canadiens last won was 1993. The Rangers won the following year in 1994.

It’s a sexy Original Six match-up between old rivals. This will be the 15th playoff series between the franchises. All-time, they’re tied 7-7. It’ll be the first meeting since 1996 when the Rangers rallied from 0-2 down to defeat the Canadiens in six games. Previously, they met in the Wales Conference Final in 1986 with Montreal prevailing in five. In 1979, the Habs defeated the Rangers 4-1 to win the Cup. In best-of-sevens all-time, Montreal owns a 6-4 record over New York.

As has already been documented, the Canadiens will have home ice. During the regular season, they finished with 100 points to the Rangers’ 96. Game 1 is set for Saturday at 1 PM on NBC. An unfriendly time due to the Preakness. Many are up in arms over NBC and the NHL rejecting the Rangers’ request to move the game to Saturday night due to Martin St. Louis’ Mom France’s funeral. Instead, the St. Louis family moved the funeral to Sunday so the entire team could attend. I’m mystified as to why NBC wanted a 1 PM time slot for Game 1 of the ECF. It makes no sense. Why not have the game on NBCSN at 7:30 PM? Shame on them.

Be that as it may, the Rangers finally have a couple of days to recoup from another taxing series that went seven. They’ve played 14 games so far compared to the Canadiens’ 11. Montreal swept Tampa Bay in the first round. They still dug deep coming back from 3-2 down to stun Boston. With rumors of another back-to-back for Games 3 and 4 at MSG, the Rangers again have their work cut out. But as I referenced last round, the schedule is the same for both teams. Hopefully, they’ll handle it better than Round 2 when they put themselves in a 3-1 hole.

I’m very excited about this series. The Rangers versus the Canadiens for the right to play for the Cup. It doesn’t get any better. As I already alluded to, they haven’t played a lot recently. The stakes are high. One team will advance and have a chance to deliver a championship. As fun as 2012 was facing the Hudson rival Devils, this feels bigger. There’s something to be said for history and tradition. My Dad can’t stand Montreal. He grew up in a different era when the Canadiens dominated led by Ken Dryden and Guy Lafleur winning six Cups in the 1970’s including a fourth straight in 1979 over the Blueshirts. Since, they have added two (’86, ’93) for an NHL record 24 Cups.

Unlike the rich history of Montreal, the Rangers have only won four Cups. The last time they won, I was a teenager. It’s hard to believe they only won in 1994. That was a great team. Sometimes, you don’t realize how lucky you are. When you’re younger, you think your team will win every year. But sports aren’t like that. It’s made me appreciate it more. As our resident New Jersey blogger knows, nothing lasts forever. When they lost two years ago, it sucked. I went for a long walk after that series ended. I doubted whether they could get back. Here they are two years later playing a more exciting style under a different coach with most of the core still intact along with a few other pieces.

Comeback King: An excited Henrik Lundqvist celebrates the Rangers 3-1 series comeback. He made 35 saves in their 2-1 Game 7 win elimination of the Pens and stopped 102 of the final 105 shots.
Associated Press/Getty Images

History was made. The Rangers made franchise history by completing the first comeback from a 3-1 series deficit by defeating the Pens 2-1 in a hair raising Game 7 at Consol Energy Center. They won in large part due to the brilliant play of Henrik Lundqvist, who made 35 saves to cement his playoff reputation. In stopping 102 of 105 shots over the last three games, he improved to 10-2 when facing elimination.

”I was so tired at the end,” a triumphant Lundqvist expressed after also winning for an NHL record fifth consecutive time in Game 7. ”But it was just a great feeling when you know it’s a done deal and we did it.”

A heroic effort from their best player allowed the Rangers to prevail despite clinging on for dear life. In the last three wins, they never trailed. That was significant in allowing the franchise to finally exorcise some demons. Not only did they overcome a 3-1 deficit but finally beat the Pens in the postseason. Entering the second round series, they were 0-for-4. No more. Following Game 4, it was all hands on deck. A gritty effort allowed them to pull the upset and advance to a second Eastern Conference Final in three years.

In the final three games, they outscored the Pens 10-3. They rallied around Martin St. Louis following the death of his Mom France. Poetically, it was his assist on Brad Richards’ power play goal at 7:56 of the second period that proved to be the series clincher. Considering all that he’s been through, St. Louis scoring on Mother’s Day and then setting up his close buddy was appropriate. It was after Game 4 that the former Lightning Cup champs held a closed door meeting. What followed is one of the most emotional and memorable comebacks the Rangers have ever had in their history.

Brian Boyle beats Marc-Andre Fleury in the first period of Game 7.
Associated Press/Getty Images

They did it by getting the first goal for a third straight game. Following a strong start by the Pens, Anton Stralman made a key defensive play at his own blueline that started an odd-man rush. Derek Dorsett gained the Pittsburgh zone and handed the puck to Dominic Moore, who fed Brian Boyle for a one-time blast past Marc-Andre Fleury to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 5:25. It was a remarkable offensive sequence by a fourth line that hadn’t produced a goal in the series. Dorsett made a great play as did Stralman, who stayed onside at the blueline. Moore’s pass was a thing of beauty and for once, Boyle hit the net.

The goal seemed to settle them down. Up till that point, it was mostly Pens with an aggressive attack recovering pucks deep and testing Lundqvist. They finished every check and showed no signs of carryover from the previous two games. Their fans were loud and enthusiastic. Following Boyle’s goal, Fleury made a key stop a minute later to keep his team within one. He only made 18 saves but wasn’t at fault on either Ranger goal.

Ref tandem Marc Joannette and Kevin Pollock kept the whistles to a minimum allowing the teams to settle it. When they did make a call, there was no complaint. They nabbed Chris Kreider for holding Sidney Crosby with 3:23 left in the first. However, the Pens failed to cash in. James Neal took an offensive zone minor when he held Marc Staal 50 seconds later. During four-on-four, Pittsburgh looked dangerous but failed to score. Despite being outshot 10-7 and destroyed on faceoffs (9-for-27) due to way too many icings, the Rangers took the lead to the locker room.

Any positive vibe quickly disappeared early in the second period. Continuing to dictate most of the play, the Pens finally got to Lundqvist when Jussi Jokinen pounced on an Olli Maatta rebound and fired home his seventh (4th of series) past Lundqvist’s glove at 4:15 tying the score. Evgeni Malkin helped set it up with some aggressive play along the boards. Forcing Lundqvist to cough up the puck behind the net, he passed for Maatta, whose shot rebounded out to Jokinen for the equalizer. For the series, Malkin was a terror scoring and setting up teammates throughout. He was easily the Pens’ best player.

It would’ve been easy for the Rangers to allow the Pens to ride the momentum. Instead, they showed some character by pushing back almost immediately. A strong cycle from Derick Brassard’s line drew a tripping penalty on Matt Niskanen. Brassard spun off a check and got a step on Niskanen, who reached out with his stick. Before the game, I hinted in my preview that I felt the power play might come through because it was on the road. As if prophetic, sure enough they delivered the go-ahead tally. Off a rush started by Kreider, he sent in Derek Stepan for a mini-break. Instead of shooting, he passed for St. Louis misconnecting. But a hustling St. Louis got to a loose puck behind the net and centered for Richards, who buried it at 7:56. Stepan picked up the secondary assist.

For a long stretch, the Rangers remained stuck on 12 shots. In fact, they only got one more in the stanza. It wasn’t for lack of opportunities. While the Pens held an 11-6 shots-on-goal edge, they were pinching their D. Every so often, the Rangers made a smart defensive play trapping a Pen at the blueline. That led to odd-man rushes. They had their share but couldn’t finish. Benoit Pouliot had the most scoring chances including hitting a crossbar. There also was another sequence where he over skated a pass. At times, it was frustrating as well as exhausting.

When Lundqvist stoned Neal on the doorstep with over four minutes left in the second, it was just a hint of what was to come. Again, his brilliance allowed the Rangers to take a precarious one-goal lead to the locker room. With 20 long minutes left, they had been outshot 23-13. Lundqvist had already made 22 saves. He needed one more memorable period to hold off a lethal Pens attack.

As NBC workhorse Pierre McGuire labeled early in period three, the Rangers were playing “a dangerous game.” It was basically a game of chicken. They allowed the Pens to consistently get the puck in and set up camp in the Ranger zone. A desperate Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma tried everything. That included finally reteaming Crosby and Malkin while even having faceoff specialist Marcel Goc win an offensive draw with Crosby double shifted. Nothing worked. Lundqvist wouldn’t allow it.

The Pens took shots from seemingly everywhere. They got the puck to open points where Paul Martin or Kris Letang had plenty of time. When Lundqvist wasn’t busy making acrobatic saves through traffic, a determined group of Blueshirts sacrificed their bodies getting in lanes, finishing checks and blocking shots. They blocked 16 while forcing many Pens’ attempts wide. The Pens totaled 81 with only 36 reaching Lundqvist. By comparison, the Rangers had only 44 with 20 getting to Fleury.

Despite plenty of puck dominance, the Pens never found a way to tie it. It wasn’t for lack of effort or quality chances. Lundqvist was unbelievable. He repeatedly robbed the Pens. The most amazing sequence came with over four minutes remaining. After denying Neal minutes earlier, he saw through a maze of traffic and made a pair of remarkable stops. He also had a bit of luck when a backhand attempt deflected off St. Louis’ stick into his body allowing him to trap the puck and get a whistle. The bizarre save came without a goalie stick. The Pens did everything possible to score there but had luck go against them. If not for St. Louis’ stick laying flat on the ice, they probably tie it. It was almost as if all the stars were aligned for the Rangers to win.

”He was OK with guys being on top of him as long as we didn’t take penalties,” Ryan McDonagh said after surviving 37 grueling shifts against the Pens’ arsenal. ”He fought through screens, fought for loose pucks. He was incredible.”

Despite playing a game of rope-a-dope, the Rangers were still able to get seven shots on Fleury. Oddly enough, it was a weird save he made on his own teammate Maatta that kept his team alive. In another wild moment, the Pens’ netminder and Maatta miscommunicated with the rookie defenseman nearly knocking the puck past his own teammate. Fleury actually had to stop it and then deny a St. Louis backhand. The Pens crowd shrieked. It was bizarre.

A much better opportunity presented itself for St. Louis. A Pens’ turnover allowed Richards and him to come in two-on-one. With Richards setting him up perfectly, he missed the top half of a gaping net. If he finishes, the ending script would’ve been a lot easier. But these are the Rangers. They never do anything easy.

Instead, the Pens missed on some glorious opportunities. Or rather Lundqvist shut them down. This is easily the best goaltending display of his NHL career. He’s won an Olympic gold medal, Vezina and was the backbone of the 2011-12 team that reached the Conference Finals. Lundqvist has never performed better than now. He was clutch stopping all 13 Pens’ shots in a hectic third.

As the Rangers inched closer to completing the comeback, they defended better. Coach Alain Vigneault did a masterful job mixing and matching lines. He kept shifts short and used everyone. After losing 18 of 27 faceoffs in a lopsided first, the Rangers improved dramatically. They went 22-and-20 the rest of the way to finish a respectable 31-and-38. Vigneault had Boyle take some key defensive draws. He went 4-and-2. Moore was 8-for-16. After struggling early, Stepan finished 7-for-16 including a couple of big wins over Crosby. It was a collective effort.

An excited bunch of Rangers celebrate their second round series victory by mobbing Henrik Lundqvist.
Associated Press/Getty Images

With the Rangers doing a nice job keeping the Pens to the outside, they limited their chances the last couple of minutes. They also did a good job in the neutral zone forcing turnovers and getting pucks deep. That kept Bylsma from pulling Fleury until there was over a minute left. With seconds to go, the Rangers battled the Pens behind Lundqvist’s net preventing them from getting one final shot. Excited teammates mobbed their goalie, who deservedly was rewarded with the Broadway Hat.

What awaits is a second trip to the Conference Finals in three years. This time, they await the Game 7 winner between Montreal and Boston. That’ll get decided tonight. Either way, the Rangers will start the third round on the road which suits them. With it not expected to go off until Saturday or Sunday, the NHL’s Road Warriors will again be the underdog. They finished off the Pens by going 3-1 in Pittsburgh. Storybook.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Brian Boyle, NYR (goal-2nd, team high 5 hits, team high 4 blocks, 4-for-6 on draws, +1 in 15:15-his hustle and leadership made a difference)

2nd Star-Brad Richards, NYR (PPG-4th proved to be series clincher at 7:56 of 2nd- sweet redemption for Broadway Brad)

1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (35 saves incl. 10/10 in 1st, 12/13 in 2nd, 13/13 in 3rd-stopped 102 of the final 105 shots-legendary stuff)