Battle Of Hudson

The AV Rules: Rangers coach Alain Vigneault should consider making some lineup changes when their second round series resumes at MSG for Game 3 tonight versus the Penguins.
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For most of the season, it’s been status quo for Alain Vigneault. In his first year behind the Rangers bench, his patience has worked. To his credit, he’s stuck with the same lines and kept the D pairs intact. It’s resulted in a more balanced team with solid chemistry.

Still, for an NHL record thirteenth consecutive time, they weren’t good enough to win two straight when leading a series. A lethargic effort resulted in an all too predictable 3-0 shutout against the Penguins, who took Game 2 to even the second round series. If not for the brilliant play of Henrik Lundqvist, it would’ve been much worse. Tonight’s not about the goalie, who gave his team every chance to steal it. Instead, they were powerless. I’m not just referring to the power play but overall.

Unmistakably, there wasn’t enough purpose to the Rangers game. They played with no edge or sense of urgency. Given that the Penguins needed the game, of course they were more desperate. However, the lack of physicality raised eyebrows. The final statistics say the Rangers had three less hits (32) than the Penguins (35). Sometimes, stats don’t tell the whole story. Anyone who roots for this team knows they were overpowered by a hungrier opponent intent on killing them. They finished every check and forced turnovers while also making Lundqvist’s life a living hell. Not one Blueshirt did the same against Marc-Andre Fleury.

If you gain a split in a seven-game series, there’s no shame. The Rangers still got what they wanted. A chance to establish home ice. However, they’ll be playing for the seventh time over 10 days Monday night at MSG. The hope is that a home crowd will energize them. They’ll have to play with a lot more urgency than the vanilla effort we got Sunday.

That could mean lineup changes. Something Vigneault should consider. In the first round seven-game win over the Flyers, he pushed the right buttons. AV wasn’t afraid to substitute Daniel Carcillo for Jesper Fast which resulted in a Game 3 win highlighted by a goal from the ex-Flyer. After a Game 4 defeat, Vigneault successfully inserted J.T. Miller. It worked again with Miller contributing an assist in a 4-3 Game 5 win. After sticking with Miller for Game 6, he went back to Carcillo, who paid back his coach by scoring a goal in a 2-1 Game 7 series clincher.

That kind of progressive coaching is what’s needed. There’s something lacking from the Rangers’ game. They were too easily pushed around. Perhaps Vigneault goes back to Miller, who’s a bigger body. He makes things happen on the forecheck. Something that was nonexistent in Game 2. Only we’re not suggesting inserting him for Carcillo, who was easily one of the Rangers’ best players. Instead, it should be Derek Dorsett who sits. Undeniably, Dorsett has brought good energy. However, the penalty he took late in the third with his team down a goal proved costly. Able to capitalize, the Pens scored a key insurance goal thanks to Jussi Jokinen which ended any comeback hopes.

Dorsett is a solid citizen. But in a series against another lethal opponent with a dangerous power play, you can’t afford those mistakes. This doesn’t take away from the relentless work he brings. However, they can easily slide Miller in and give that line a jolt. He’s a faster skater who can either play with Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin or play fourth line. Yes, Miller is still a work defensively. The Rangers need more attack time. They didn’t apply enough pressure on the Pens defense. Miller can use his size and strength. Assets the Rangers need minus Chris Kreider. The still recovering power forward is sorely missed. His net presence especially has been absent on a power play that’s failed in 29 straight.

Another area Vigneault has to look at is his third defensive pair. John Moore has struggled so far. A liability defensively, he hasn’t done enough to justify keeping him in. Yes, he works well with quiet stay at home type Kevin Klein. Considering the Rangers power play struggles, he might want to take a look at Raphael Diaz. Diaz is another righty option who can play on the point. A solid puck moving type who can get his shot through, that’s probably a better option than Anton Stralman. While he’s a steady defender, Stralman shouldn’t be asked to play a bigger role. He and Marc Staal have been the Rangers’ best defensive tandem this postseason.

Regarding Moore, he saw 22 shifts receiving 14:15 of ice-time. Every single one was at even strength. If Vigneault is hesitant to use the rover on the man-advantage, what’s the point? One problem is that Moore is too indecisive with the puck. He didn’t look for his shot. A strength. This is a player capable of providing offense. He’s still a work in progress. Could a more experienced Diaz provide a lift? He’s about the same defensively which means start him in the offensive zone as much as possible. It’s only a suggestion.

Given how he’s handled this team, I wouldn’t expect Vigneault to make more than one change. If anything, he’ll keep the blueline intact and consider inserting Miller. Whether it’s for Carcillo or Dorsett remains to be seen. At this point, I’d do it for Dorsett only because Carcillo has given the Rangers more. Who didn’t love seeing him bark at Neal following a post scrum around Lundqvist? For some reason, he works. It’s almost like a Sean Avery Affect. Unless he takes a silly penalty, play him.

When the series resumes later tonight, it’s really a must win scenario for the Rangers. Lose and it could slip away quickly. That requires tough decisions for the coach. Whatever he decides, it’s hopefully for the best.

Jokinen Gets Last Laugh: Pens forward Jussi Jokinen celebrates a power play goal with teammates which made it 2-0. Pittsburgh took Game 2 over the listless Blueshirts 3-0 to even the series.
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Everyone knew the schedule would present a challenge for the Rangers. They just weren’t up to it tonight. After taking Game 1, they were listless in falling to the Penguins 3-0 at Console Energy Center. The best of seven Eastern Conference Semifinal shifts to Madison Square Garden for an all important Game 3 tomorrow. Lose it and the Rangers risk losing everything.

How bad were they? On a scale of 1-10, they were about a 2. It was brutal. The Pens did whatever they wanted even if that meant taking bad penalties. They handed the Rangers the first three power plays. But as usual, they failed miserably mustering just two shots. It was deplorable. Instead of gaining any momentum, they allowed Pittsburgh to run around and deliver hits legal or illegal. It didn’t matter. Their physical play and desperation set the tone. They outhit the Rangers 20-10 early on and never relented.

It wasn’t just about finding a way to beat Henrik Lundqvist. Impenetrable, the former Vezina winner played a monster game. His brilliance cannot be overstated. Without him, this could easily have been 7-0 Pens. Lundqvist gave the Blueshirts every opportunity to get back in it. After a scoreless first period, he was under siege. With his teammates struggling to complete simple passes and turning pucks over, he absolutely stoned a swarm of Penguins intent on doing physical damage. They crashed his crease and did not pay a price.

To be perfectly blunt, the Rangers performance was gutless. Only a few players donning the white jerseys showed up. When your best forward is Daniel Carcillo, something’s wrong. He was the only player up front who played with any purpose even getting the few scoring chances on Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury could’ve been on a beach. That’s how easy the 22 save shutout was. He never faced any pressure. The Blueshirts were one and done. They never made a fragile goalie work. Now, he has confidence when the series shifts to New York City.

After somehow escaping the first on even terms, the Rangers stopped skating. They watched a faster and more determined Pittsburgh attack possess the puck and fire repeatedly at Lundqvist. Even when they had a 7-4 shots edge, it was misleading. Eventually, it turned around with the Pens getting 12 of the last 15 shots to outshoot a lethargic opponent 16-10. Amazingly, they only scored once. Even in a game where Sidney Crosby was flying, the Pens captain couldn’t get one by Lundqvist. He had a game high six shots with the majority dangerous chances that a mere mortal would’ve caved in on.

It was Crosby’s teammates who gave a strong showing. Coach Dan Bylsma went with Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the same line with Chris Kunitz. That resulted in a large territorial edge. They owned the puck. So pinned in were the Rangers that they simply gave the attacking Pens too much space. They pinched their defensemen at every opportunity. It finally paid dividends when Kunitz and Malkin combined to set up Kris Letang, whose shot went off a sliding Dan Girardi past Lundqvist at 10:26 of the second. Mats Zuccarello took a chance and lost in the neutral zone. Going for a big hit on Malkin, he missed allowing the Pens other superstar to gain the zone. With Kunitz driving the net, a late recovering Girardi had the puck deflect off his skate and in.

In simple terms, Girardi and ailing partner Ryan McDonagh struggled mightily. There was another play where Girardi made a bad read at the conclusion of another Rangers power outage. That allowed Kunitz to steal the puck and break in on Lundqvist, who aggressively challenged and blockered away the dangerous chance. The Rangers power play failed in four chances. Even though they generated a little more on the final one, it wasn’t enough. At one point, it was 3-for-8. Having failed in their last 29, they’re now a miserable 3-for-37. There are no words. Alain Vigneault tried Marc Staal and Anton Stralman. That pair has been by far their best so far. Maybe he should switch them on Crosby. Compared with McDonagh and Girardi, they’re giving up far less.

Despite a heroic effort from Lundqvist who kept Pittsburgh at 1 for most of the third, the Rangers simply didn’t take advantage. They only got five shots on Fleury. Playing for the sixth time in nine days, they didn’t have their skating legs. If they looked exhausted tonight, what’s going to happen in 24 hours? Somehow, they have to summon up the energy. If they can’t do it, this series could go in the opposite direction pretty quickly. At least they’ll have the home crowd at MSG. Even if it’s not close to what it used to be, you know they’ll ramp it up. The players must respond. Defend home ice and they can put themselves in a winning position.

Derek Dorsett took one of those misguided penalties that won’t win him any new fans. Inexplicably, he hit pest James Neal after the whistle. Neal is my most despised Pen because he always pulls stuff. Like his pulling Girardi’s stick to draw a minor and his repeated goalie shenanigans with Lundqvist. Something the Pens did a lot of. If they can get away with it, why not? It’s not like any Ranger is going to do something about it.

Able to kill the first six Pittsburgh power plays in the series, the Rangers couldn’t quite make it a perfect seven. Instead, they got beat in transition allowing Jussi Jokinen to rebound home a Neal shot that made it 2-0 with 3:30 left in regulation. Letang, who had a very active game, started it on a rush dropping to Neal. His low shot was one of the few Lundqvist mishandled which permitted Jokinen to snipe one top shelf for his fourth of the postseason. For good measure, Malkin added an empty netter in the final minute.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Evgeni Malkin, PIT (4th of postseason ENG, assist, 5 SOG, 4 takeaways, +2 in 21:30-very dangerous)

2nd Star-Kris Letang, PIT (goal-2nd of postseason at 10:26 of 2nd GWG, 2 assists, 2 hits, 2 blocked shots, +2 in 25:35)

1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (32 saves on 34 shots incl. 15/16 in busy 2nd)

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 seemingly ever, this team has been hideous in playoff overtime. The first game of the second round series against an old nemesis required it. After blowing a two-goal first period lead, the Rangers found a way to beat the Penguins 3-2 in Game 1 thanks to Derick Brassard’s overtime winner.

The game winner came at 3:06 of sudden death. It was a great play made by Benoit Pouliot, who won a battle behind the net and centered for Brassard, who beat Marc-Andre Fleury. That allowed the Rangers to steal the first game of the best of seven Eastern Conference Semifinal. It was the fourth time the Rangers and Penguins required OT in Pittsburgh. Unlike recent history, the Rangers came out on top thanks to some strong play from the Brassard unit with Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello. The cohesive trio were in on two of three goals.

The conclusion was a bit perplexing. Initially, referees Brad Watson and Steve Kozari thought Brassard’s shot hit the post. With the Pens in full scramble mode, the Rangers stayed with it. Pouliot buried a one-timer that assured an overtime win. Once it was over, NBCSN replays confirmed that Brassard’s shot hit the inside of the net before caroming out. That made it his goal. A player who was held to only two points- both assists in their seven-game first round win- Brassard delivered in the clutch scoring his first goal of the postseason.

Henrik Lundqvist makes a save on Sidney Crosby. He finished with 34 saves.
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

The overtime triumph was only Henrik Lundqvist’s fifth. He improved to 5-11 for his career. It’s no secret he hasn’t much success in sudden death. Make no mistake. Without some clutch stops during a Pens second period onslaught, it never reaches that point. In a lopsided second that saw Pittsburgh outshoot the Rangers 15-4, Lundqvist made 13 saves. His best came with 10 seconds left in regulation when he robbed Lee Stempniak on a two on one. The hair raising moment came when Stempniak toe dragged around a sliding Dan Girardi turning it into a one on one. His shot with Chris Kunitz in front was padded away by a sliding Lundqvist allowing his team to survive.

He stopped all 12 Pens shots in the third and made one more in overtime. Lundqvist finished with 34 saves. Even though the tying goal he allowed to James Neal wasn’t great, Hank’s play stood out. Given the kind of pressure he faced the last two periods, Lundqvist stood up to the challenge outplaying Fleury (24 saves).

The series couldn’t have started out any better. Sharp from the outset after only a day of rest, the Rangers scored twice against Fleury. Pouliot opened the scoring when he took a Girardi outlet and cruised into the Pittsburgh zone and surprised Fleury with a wrist shot stick side at 5:04. For some reason, the Pens were flat. A strong Ranger forecheck forced turnovers. They outscored the Pens 2-0 and outshot them 13-8.

Following a close call in the opposite end, Carl Hagelin beat Pens’ defensemen Olli Maatta and Matt Niskanen to a loose puck behind Fleury’s net. He quickly fed for an open Brad Richards, who outwaited Fleury and finished off a nice forehand deke for his third making it 2-0 with 2:57 remaining. Girardi drew the other assist. The Pens showed frustration by the end of the period with Kunitz taking a holding minor. Sidney Crosby fired the puck after the whistle. For a seventh consecutive game, the Pens’ captain didn’t score a goal.

Whatever momentum the Rangers had died once the second started. Unable to generate anything on what’s become a lifeless power play, they allowed the Penguins to regain confidence. The Pens easily killed all four power plays increasing the Rangers’ futility to 0-for-their-last-25. It’s officially reached Mike Sullivan territory. Scott Arniel hasn’t made any adjustments. At some point during this series, he has to get it fixed. You can’t keep giving the Pens power plays. Astonishingly, they went 0 for 4.

Even though they didn’t score off them, Pittsburgh was able to build momentum. They kept the Rangers pinned in for almost the entire second. It was a fire drill. If not for their penchant for blocking shots along with Lundqvist’s goaltending, they would’ve been blown out. Attacking Pens repeatedly gained easy entry into the Ranger zone creating dangerous chances. After not being able to take advantage, they finally clicked. It was their checking line that got them back in the game. Following a Marcel Goc outlet, Beau Bennett came in two on two and patiently waited before dropping to Stempniak, who beat Lundqvist with a backhand nearside at 7:15.

With Console Energy Center finally alive, even a lazy Jussi Jokinen hooking minor couldn’t prevent the inevitable. The Ranger power play was so bad, it could’ve been sponsored by Looney Tunes. Fleury never saw one shot. It was pathetic. Once teams were back at full strength, it didn’t take long for the Pens to even it. Off some strong defensive work from Evgeni Malkin, Jokinen came in and dropped for Neal, whose wrister from the right circle went off Lundqvist and bounced in. Lundqvist immediately protested. On the play, he had Malkin in front swinging his stick at the puck in mid air. Replays confirmed that he never touched it allowing the Pens to tie it with 6:32 left. Malkin’s stick did touch Lundqvist’s glove but I had no issue with it. He lost concentration and forgot about the puck.

With the game tied at two, the Pens searched for the go-ahead. But it never came. Lundqvist held his team in. He delivered money stops. The Pens cycle was so aggressive that they skated circles around the Rangers. It was scary. They really dominated. Thanks to the goalie, the Blueshirts escaped the period still tied.

The third was better played. Forced to kill a fourth Pens power play following a lazy trip from top penalty killer Brian Boyle, the Rangers buckled down. Despite constant pressure, Pittsburgh never got the perfect set up required to beat Lundqvist. He saw every shot. That included a dangerous try from Malkin which he harmlessly gloved away. He bailed out Marc Staal, who passed the puck right to Malkin. For the most part, Staal was strong. It was just one of those nervous moments that had me going crazy.

Unlike the second where they mustered nothing, the Rangers were able to test Fleury. He made eight saves including a key one on Derek Stepan with Rick Nash in front. Once again, Nash failed to score. Aside from two shaky defensive shifts, he was fine. It would be nice if Stepan could fire a shot cleanly. He almost always fans. He’s been getting chances every game. Despite a good effort from Martin St. Louis, the top line didn’t factor in.

The Rangers were able to put together some good shifts. When they weren’t pinned in by the Pens’ top line, the fourth line did a solid job. As they’ve demonstrated throughout, Boyle, Dominic Moore and Derek Dorsett didn’t hurt them. Neither did the Brassard unit, who sprung to life with their best postseason performance. It was fitting that they would generate the OT winner. Pouliot made the play behind the net and Brassard played the hero. The end result was a huge win allowing them to take a 1-0 series lead.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (34 saves incl. 13/15 in 2nd, 12/12 in 3rd)

2nd Star-Benoit Pouliot, NYR (goal-3rd of postseason, assist, +1 in 23 shifts-15:39)

1st Star-Derick Brassard, NYR (scored overtime winner at 3:06, +1 in 24 shifts-15:55)

Entering their first round series versus the Flyers, the Rangers had one distinct advantage. It wasn’t in net. It was superior depth. In eliminating their old Patrick rival, they did it by getting strong support. Everyone chipped in.

Astonishingly, they overcame no points from Ryan McDonagh and no goals from Rick Nash. Something that can’t be repeated when the second round begins tomorrow night against the Penguins. All season, Alain Vigneault preached rolling four lines. That gave his team an edge in the seven-game ouster of the Flyers. No Ranger scored more than two goals. Similar to their regular season success, they boasted balance. Eight different players had two goals. That ranged from Martin St. Louis, Mats Zuccarello and Brad Richards to unsung heroes Dominic Moore and Daniel Carcillo.

It wasn’t limited to goal production. In two appearances, J.T. Miller registered two assists. Jesper Fast also recorded a helper in the first two games. Every button Vigneault pushed worked. His wisest move was reinserting Carcillo for Game 7. The gritty agitator did in his former team scoring the Rangers’ first goal on a brilliant feed from Zuccarello. Similar to the season when Glen Sather acquired him from the Kings, he was an x-factor. Carcillo has been an effective player who brings energy. On a team that isn’t known for physicality, he’s brought a similar element that Sean Avery did. As long as he stays disciplined, I’d play him.

Brian Boyle also stepped up. When the playoffs start, he becomes a different player. Sure. He’s not going to blow you away with his skating or shot selection. But another former King who’s been an integral part of the Rangers success is someone they can always count on. From his diligent penalty killing and checking, Boyle has been a good soldier. Ever since Vigneault teamed him with Moore and Derek Dorsett, the fourth line has been vital. The chemistry they have is good enough for Vigneault to trust them. There’s never been any hesitation to send them out 5 on 5 against a scoring line. It’s no shock that Boyle contributed a goal and two assists with 22 hits and a message sending scrap against Adam Hall in Game 6.

The Rangers were lead in scoring by Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis. Both had six points (2-4-6). Five players had four points including Benoit Pouliot, Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin, Zuccarello and Nash. Derick Brassard had two assists including a beautiful set up for Pouliot’s clincher. He’ll need better production next round.

Dan Girardi paced the blueline with three points. They didn’t get much offense from the back end with McDonagh struggling. However, the quartet of McDonagh, Girardi, Marc Staal and Anton Stralman were instrumental in their 2-1 Game 7 series clincher. The edge they played with was something the Flyers lacked on a weaker back end. Having two top defensive pairs who can be counted on to log big minutes is the Rangers’ biggest edge. With Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz, James Neal and Jussi Jokinen on the horizon, that’ll get tested.

Another Sather pick up Kevin Klein quietly flew under the radar. The defensive defenseman was acquired from Nashville for Michael Del Zotto. While he’s not flashy, Klein is a solid stay at home D who gets the job done. Against the Flyers, he finished plus-five and contributed an assist last night. He and partner John Moore didn’t receive much ice-time in the third. But they didn’t make any glaring mistakes. Exactly what you want out of a third pair.

When assessing their chances, the Rangers are a deeper team than 2012. Of course, that one under now fired ex-Canucks coach John Tortorella grinded their way to seven-game victories over Ottawa and Washington. They’re still what Vigneault’s roster are being measured against. Facing the Pens is a big challenge. Crosby had the same amount of goals as Nash in their series win over the Blue Jackets. He’s due. Malkin snapped out of it with a hat trick in the clincher.

While it’s easy to focus on the Pens’ talent edge, the Rangers boast a strong skating team with superb depth. We still don’t know if Chris Kreider will return. That they were able to overcome his loss to defeat the Flyers speaks volumes. If this were the last couple of Springs, that wouldn’t have been the case. Thanks to a strong season from Sather, Vigneault has better options. At some point, they’ll probably need Kreider. The overall depth is nothing to sniff at.

The second round schedule is out. For the first time in six years, the Rangers will face the Penguins. Ironically, it’s a second round rematch. In ’08, Pittsburgh eliminated New York in five games. The Rangers have never defeated the Penguins in series history. Starting Friday at Console Energy Center, they’ll look to change that.

The biggest obstacle will be an odd back-to-back spanning Games 2 and 3. After getting the traditional day off, the Rangers and Penguins will do battle for Game 2 Sunday night at 7:30 EST. Due to NBCSN, the two teams will travel to New York for Game 3 Monday, May 5 at MSG. Obviously, it’s frustrating if you’re a Ranger fan. But it’s the same for each side.

Here’s the complete seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal schedule:

Friday 5/2 Rangers @ Penguins 7:30 EST NBCSN/CBC

Sunday 5/4 Rangers @ Penguins 7:30 EST NBCSN/CBC

Monday 5/5 Penguins @ Rangers 7:30 EST NBCSN/CBC

Wednesday 5/7 Penguins @ Rangers 7:30 EST NBCSN/CBC

*Friday 5/9 Rangers @ Penguins TBD CBC

*Sunday 5/11 Penguins @ Rangers TBD CBC

*Tuesday 5/13 Rangers @ Penguins TBD CBC

*if necessary

Pouliot’s Revenge: Benoit Pouliot scored the series clincher highlighting the Rangers 2-1 Game 7 win over the Flyers to advance to a second round match up against the Penguins.
Associated Press

Nothing ever comes easy with this team. Once again, the Rangers gave every fan a panic attack. In the end, the battle tested team came out on top eliminating the Flyers 2-1 in a riveting Game 7 at a raucous MSG. Basically, they hung on by the skin of their teeth. It doesn’t matter. What does is they became the first team in NHL history to advance past the first round by winning Game 7. Next up are the Penguins.

It was every bit as intense as the final score suggests. If the first six games didn’t do the rivalry justice, tonight did. For the first time all series, neither side scored after one. Neither goalie flinched. Steve Mason (10 saves) and Henrik Lundqvist (11 saves) each did their part. Predictably, the Rangers power play failed in one chance. Essentially, they advanced despite the power outage finishing 0 for the last 21.

After a tightly contested first, the Rangers seized control by playing a dominant second. They outscored the Flyers 2-0 and outshot them by a healthy 18-5 margin that was every bit as indicative of how lopsided the period was. Following an easy kill of a bench minor served by Daniel Carcillo, a great shift resulted in the game’s first goal. Ironically, Carcillo got it after coming out of the box. Kevin Klein kept the play alive with a pinch getting the puck to Mats Zuccarello. The diminutive crowd favorite didn’t disappoint sending a breathtaking saucer backhand pass across for Carcillo who buried his second at 3:06.

With the Garden alive, the Rangers were all over the Flyers. The entire period was spent in the Philadelphia zone. So dominant were they that the Flyers couldn’t get out of their end. It was the kind of puck possession that translated into results. They only were able to beat Mason twice. Mason’s play was brilliant. He turned away attacking Blueshirts time and again including Rick Nash. Heavily criticized throughout, Nash played a whale of a game. For once, he played like a power forward registering a team high five shots, attempting 10 while delivering five hits and making some key plays defensively. This was by far his best game given the circumstance. Perhaps a positive to take into the second round beginning Friday.

A dubious goalie interference call on Game 6 goat Benoit Pouliot only turned MSG into a hostile environment. Replays clearly showed that he was shoved into Mason by Kimmo Timonen. A flabbergasted Dave Maloney asked the question on most people’s minds. Where was he supposed to go? It didn’t matter. A determined scrappy bunch of Blueshirts wouldn’t allow it. The Flyers couldn’t get anything done on the power play. So dominant was the Ranger penalty kill that they didn’t permit a Flyer shot. Instead, the gritty play of Anton Stralman typified a yeoman effort. The overlooked defenseman gave up his body blocking consecutive shots. As a team, the Rangers blocked 22. They sacrificed.

Mats Zuccarello mobs Derick Brassard following his set up for Benoit Pouliot.
Associated Press

As fate would have it, Pouliot scored the series clincher 3:11 after serving his tainted penalty. On yet another sustained forecheck, Stralman kept a play alive chipping the puck down to Derick Brassard. Brassard circled around before threading the needle for a cutting Pouliot for a sweet finish that made it 2-0 at 11:46. Just a brilliant feed from a player who’s struggled to produce. Since January, Brassard has formed great chemistry with Pouliot and Zuccarello. When they were needed most, they delivered. Pouliot’s second was his first since Game 2.

With MSG bedlam, they came at Mason in swarms. Every time they were on the verge of blowing it open, an acrobatic Mason stood on his head to keep the Flyers alive. There were back-to-back stone jobs on Derek Stepan. Off a Nash set up, Stepan came around the net and had room but a sprawling Mason denied his wrap try and then stuck his glove out to get the rebound. He thwarted Brian Boyle and later robbed Carl Hagelin in the final minute keeping the Rangers up by only two. In total, Mason stopped 16 of 18 in a hectic second. He was heroic in defeat finishing with 31 saves.

Despite being dominated, the Flyers only trailed by two with one period left. When Jason Akeson got a favorable carom of his own shot and surprised Henrik Lundqvist by going far side at 4:32 of the third, they were very much alive. Braydon Coburn and Matt Read picked up helpers. Suddenly, the Garden was on pins and needles. The Flyers came and came. Claude Giroux had a dominant shift that nearly resulted in the tying goal. A period earlier, he blew a glorious chance in which he had Lundqvist dead to rights. But a sliding Stralman might’ve distracted him. He fired over the net.

In a game where Alain Vigneault leaned heavily on his top four defensemen, it was the play of Stralman and partner Marc Staal that stood out. Each saw as many minutes as Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. The Rangers top pair bounced back from a brutal performance. They were physical combining for seven hits and nine blocked shots. In a chaotic third, that was a big part of the story. Staal and Stralman also had seven hits and seven blocks. If you total it up, the top four combined for 14 hits and 16 of the team’s 22 blocked shots.

When the Rangers weren’t diving in the path of Flyer attempts, Lundqvist was keeping them at bay. If he took some criticism for being pulled in Game 6, he more than made up for it. A busy third saw him stop 10 of 11 shots with several of the tricky variety. Every shot was tough with even odd bounces like one of Giroux’s offerings calmly gloved out of harm’s way by Lundqvist. The Flyers spent most of the third in the Rangers’ end. It literally felt like an extended power play. That’s how difficult a time the Rangers had clearing the zone. They didn’t register a shot the first half of the period.

It wasn’t until Nash had a big shift that they stemmed the tide. A very active shift resulted in rare attack time. A second strong shift from the Zuccarello line resulted in another chance which Mason stopped with eight and a half minutes left. The remainder of the period was the Rangers taking away the neutral zone and getting the puck in deep. Everyone made a concerted defensive effort to limit the Flyers touches.

They iced the puck an awful lot. However, their centers came through with critical wins in the defensive end. That included crucial ones from Brassard, Stepan and the fourth line combo of Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore. In particular, Brassard (8 for 11) and Moore (11 for 20) were huge. Against a good faceoff club possessing Giroux (16 and 16), Brayden Schenn (10 and 6) and Sean Couturier (5 and 9), that was pivotal. The Rangers aren’t a great faceoff team but they more than held their own edging the Flyers 35-33.

A couple of strong defensive shifts forced Flyers coach Craig Berube to wait until about the 1:20 mark to pull Mason. The Flyers finally got the puck in deep. But a disciplined Blueshirts prevented them from really threatening. A final clear saw a hustling Zuccarello outrace a Flyer to a loose puck with 2.7 seconds left. However, the refs mistakenly called it icing before correcting themselves. That put the final draw at center ice allowing the Rangers to skate off with a hard fought series victory.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Brassard–Pouliot–Zuccarello, NYR (1-2-3 incl. Pouliot’s series winner, +5 rating-could’ve given it to any of the top 4 D but they were the impact line.)

2nd Star-Daniel Carcillo, NYR (goal-2nd of series, 2 SOG in 11:32-what a pick up by Slats)

1st Star-Steve Mason, Phi (31 saves incl. 16/18 in 2nd-hard to give a Flyer top star. But he earned it.)

Rick Nash scored his only postseason goal against the Bruins last year. The pressure is on him and the Rangers top players in Game 7 tonight.

It’s officially a pressure cooker tonight. Everything comes to a standstill. On a big day of three Game 7’s to conclude the first round, the Rangers host the Flyers at what should be a chaotic MSG. The newly renovated building isn’t as loud. But with it all on the line, that won’t be a problem. The issue for the Rangers is whether they can feed off the emotion and repeat history. They’ve never lost a Game 7 on home ice.

There’s plenty of experience from the last three series clinchers which included a seventh game rout of the Capitals in D.C. Over the last two years, they’ve gone the distance ousting the Senators, Capitals and again those same Caps. Nine players experienced all three wins. Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Anton Stralman, Derek Stepan, Brad Richards, Carl Hagelin and Brian Boyle. Including last year, you can add Derick Brassard, Rick Nash, John Moore, Derek Dorsett and Mats Zuccarello. That’s 14 Blueshirts. Chris Kreider is injured. Martin St. Louis won Game 7 over the Flyers in ’04 en route to a Stanley Cup with the Lightning. Also won in seven.

What’s at stake is their livelihood. When the puck drops, you can toss out all the fancy statistics. If you went strictly on puck possession for Game 6, the Rangers prevailed. Unfortunately, they wasted a good first period by not scoring. Benoit Pouliot’s holding minor was the turning point. It was a miserable performance by Girardi and McDonagh, who were the main culprits on Wayne Simmonds’ hat trick. They can’t have a repeat. Neither can Lundqvist, whose baffling indecision lead to Flyer sub Erik Gustafsson scoring a crucial third goal that followed a Steve Mason glove stop on Pouliot.

Alain Vigneault stated that whoever’s top players perform well will prevail. That means getting anything out of Nash. It’s ugly. He remains without a goal in six and has only 1 in 18 postseason games as a Ranger. When asked about it, to summarize he said he’s trying his best. That doesn’t cut it. Fans don’t want to hear that. They want a guy Glen Sather sacrificed Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov for to go out and produce. Nash spent the majority of Tuesday in the Flyers’ zone. He has four assists. They came in the first three games. That must change.

McDonagh is without a point in the series. One of the best defensemen in the game, he clearly isn’t himself. He missed the final five games of the regular season after sustaining a left shoulder injury. The Rangers have looked to him for offense from the blue line. In six games, he has nine shots and is minus-two. How bad has his slump been? Vigneault replaced him and Girardi with Moore and Klein in the offensive zone trying the third pair with the top line. Truth be told, it made no sense.

Off such a quick turnaround, will the Flyers ride the momentum into a Game 7 upset? After securing a 4-0 cushion, they banged around the Rangers. Afterwards, Simmonds told Pierre McGuire that they had to continue grinding them down and playing physical. He seemed pretty confident. Why not? Since Mason returned as the starter, they’ve taken two of three with the Flyer number one delivering clutch saves in both wins.

Prior to the series, we emphasized special teams. I gave the Flyers the edge because they count on their power play to score. In their three wins, that’s held true netting five power play goals. While they have done their part, the Rangers man-advantage has failed miserably. Since producing a pair of PPG’s in a Game 1 win and one in a Game 2 loss, they’ve been shutdown. Dating back to the conclusion of the second game, they’re 0 for 20. For the series, they’re 3 for 28. It’s the same old script. The Flyers have gotten away with taking bad penalties while making the most of their opportunities. If the Rangers are to prevail, they must stay disciplined and take advantage.

Obviously, one of the biggest stories is Mason. For whatever reason, he raises his level against the Rangers. Entering the series, he brought a 4-1-1 record with a 2.49 GAA and .928 save percentage versus them. In three starts, he’s 2-1 with a 1.95 GAA and .939 save percentage. Interestingly, Mason has never won at MSG. He enters o-2-1 with a 3.85 GAA in four career outings. He’s outplayed Lundqvist, who hasn’t had to be great yet. After giving up four on 23 shots, he was pulled. Lundqvist enters with a 2.31 GAA and .910 save percentage. He usually turns it up in Game 7. The last three are all wins including nail biters over Ottawa and Washington in 2012 plus a shutout of the Caps last year.

In what’s been an unpredictable series with no rhyme or rhythm to each game, it’s hard to predict what will happen. The Rangers have gotten large contributions from their fourth line. Ironically, Dominic Moore was nominated for the Masterton and deserves to win it. He and Brian Boyle have been instrumental in two of three wins. The one thing they have going is four lines. However, you have to think logic will finally prevail. The pressure is on the Rangers’ best players to deliver. If they don’t, it’ll be a long offseason.