Laviolette had a hard time replacing Vesey

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Derek

It was the second period of Game 2. Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg caught Jimmy Vesey with a big hit in open ice that injured the Rangers forward.

Vesey never returned for the remainder of the series. That night, the Rangers overcame his loss to pull out a 2-1 overtime win at The Garden. Barclay Goodrow won the game with 5:35 left.

It was obvious that the high hit Vesey took was a serious injury that ended his season. Whether it was the shoulder or forearm, he was writhing in pain. His loss was felt by the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.

Although he played a secondary role as a trustee checking forward who could kill penalties, Vesey was a key player on the fourth line. He had good chemistry with Goodrow and Matt Rempe. Their energy was infectious. It galvanized the team.

An outsider might not understand Vesey’s value. It was his combination of skating and grit that were key ingredients to the fourth line’s effectiveness. Losing him hurt the team’s depth.

Tried as he did, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette never was able to replace Vesey. For some games, Will Cuylle slid down to play with Goodrow and either Rempe or Jonny Brodzinski. Cuylle needed to have a bigger role. He was better suited for the third line.

Facing a very heavy team in the Panthers, Laviolette shortchanged himself by limiting Cuylle’s minutes. He got less than nine minutes over the last two games. Hardly enough for a young player who brought size, speed, and physicality.

The Rangers needed more of that. Jack Roslovic and Filip Chytil were ineffective against the Panthers. Laviolette never found the right fit for Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. By moving Alex Wennberg up for Game 6, it was an admission that Chris Drury failed at the trade deadline.

To his credit, Roslovic had an impact earlier in the playoffs. He picked up two assists in the Rangers’ 5-3 comeback win over the Hurricanes in Game 6 to advance to the Conference Finals. However, he was ineffective against the stronger Panthers.

Chytil never quite fit on the right side with Zibanejad and Kreider. Eventually, Laviolette shifted Chytil back to center for Saturday’s game. Had he been healthy, Vesey probably would’ve gotten a look on the first line. That’s how out of wack things got.

A role player like Vesey shouldn’t have dramatically changed the lineup. It did because he was good on the forecheck. An area many Rangers struggled at against a tough opponent.

Laviolette even had Goodrow play up with Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. He went away from what worked all season. Goodrow was a fixture as the checking pivot. He helped supply valuable depth.

It didn’t make sense to move Wennberg up. He would’ve been better suited on the fourth line. Maybe Cuylle could’ve been tried with Zibanejad and Kreider. His aggressive style might’ve opened up the ice for them.

Laviolette tried different combinations. After having success with Roslovic in the first two rounds, he went away from it. That was due in large part to the matchup against Panthers Selke winner Aleksander Barkov.

The first line had its struggles. They didn’t score a goal at 5-on-5 against the Panthers.  Chytil was tried on the right wing. The trio were unable to generate any consistency. The lack of a forecheck hurt. They were unable to cycle pucks and create enough pressure.

For the most part, Artemi Panarin wasn’t used much with Zibanejad and Kreider. Laviolette only double shifted him occasionally. When it became apparent that they were unable to get inside during the third period in Game 6, maybe Laviolette should’ve loaded up. It couldn’t have hurt their chances.

Laviolette was so dependent on the Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere line that he probably resisted the urge. Playing Wennberg with Zibanejad and Kreider was out of character. It didn’t give the team the best chance.

With Rempe hardly utilized, Laviolette went back to Brodzinski on the fourth line. He centered Cuylle and Roslovic. In all honesty, Goodrow was a much better fit. From an energy standpoint, he was one of the most effective players. Even though he was moved up to play with Chytil and Kakko, he only played 11:46. There were just two penalties called.

The Rangers missed Vesey’s grit. He complemented Goodrow and Rempe, who was effective when Laviolette played him. It wasn’t enough against the punishing style of the Panthers. It isn’t like Rempe was incapable of taking regular shifts. For his massive size, he’s a good skater who understood his role. He knew where to go defensively.

When looking back at the six-game defeat, they lacked enough size and strength. There weren’t enough drives to the front of Sergei Bobrovsky’s net. His job was much easier than Igor Shesterkin, who had to deal with way too many Panthers in his path.

With the season over, the Rangers can reflect on what they were unable to do to win the series. They’ll have to get tougher next season.

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Change could come to likable core this summer

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Derek

It’s an overcast first day in June here in the Big Apple. There’ll be no more hockey played at Madison Square Garden this summer. Instead, it’s what could’ve been.

After the Rangers were eliminated by the Panthers in a closely fought Game 6 last night, I took a walk around the block. It was a nice evening for it. In that peaceful moment, you could feel a cool breeze. It was a perfect way to gather my thoughts.

So often, we get too caught up in our teams. The 2023-24 New York Rangers made you care about hockey again. Compared to the previous spring, when the end was anticlimactic, these Rangers played with passion. They fought hard under coach Peter Laviolette.

There were too many exciting comeback victories to list during the season. The resolve of this team made them easy to root for. It was the polar opposite of 2022-23. Laviolette’s voice proved to be the right fit. He gets his flowers for the job he did.

Nobody ever would’ve predicted that they would finish with the league’s best record to win the Presidents’ Trophy. The Rangers proved that they were the best team in the Metropolitan Division. They backed it up by sweeping the Capitals and taking out the Hurricanes in six games to reach the Final 4.

Unfortunately, they were up against a very proven Panthers team that played for the Stanley Cup a year ago. They lost to the Golden Knights in five games. Paul Maurice’s club looks determined to deliver the franchise’s first championship.

The biggest difference between the Panthers and Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final was the Cats’ ability to impose their will. They were relentless on the forecheck and defended well in front of Sergei Bobrovsky. The Rangers found it tough to get to the slot area and net.

Ultimately, the Cats clawed their way past the Rangers in six games to return to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their combination of size, speed, and strength was too much for the Rangers to overcome. It showed in how their aggressive style overwhelmed the Blueshirts at times.

Stars Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad found little time and space to make plays. Adam Fox, who showed a lot of heart, playing on one leg, was unable to have an impact. It all added up to the Rangers’ three best skaters combining for a single goal with nine assists. Chris Kreider only had a shorthanded goal and helper in a crushing Game 5 loss.

There wasn’t enough offense from the Rangers’ best players. A core that’s been together for three straight playoffs might see a change coming this summer. In 2022, the offense dried up in the last four games to the Lightning in the same round. For six games, the Rangers totaled 12 goals. Hardly enough production to beat Bobrovsky.

Alexis Lafreniere scored four of the dozen. He was the Rangers’ most dangerous forward. However, in Game 6, he was held without a shot. Vincent Trocheck had two goals with four assists for a team-leading six points. He led by example throughout the season. Barclay Goodrow was an overtime hero in Game 2 and scored twice in Game 3. Alex Wennberg got the overtime winner in a wild 5-4 win last Sunday.

As it turned out, that was the last celebration of the season. After defeating the Rangers on a Sam Reinhart overtime winner in Game 4, the Panthers scored three straight times to grab a 3-2 victory in Game 5. Lafreniere made it interesting. But it was too little, too late.

The Rangers attacked more yesterday. But they fell behind due to a defensive breakdown. Sam Bennett buried a one-timer following an Erik Gustafsson turnover in the neutral zone. He and Jacob Trouba got toasted. It was a backbreaking goal because it came in the final minute.

Close calls from Jack Roslovic and Zibanejad will be replayed for a while. Who knows how it would’ve gone had either scored.

Instead, Vladimir Tarasenko put away an Anton Lundell feed in front with 10:52 left in the third period. That proved cruel due to Panarin finally scoring with 1:40 remaining. The Rangers got nothing afterward.

It isn’t easy to figure out what’s next. The Rangers have a good core that’s come close. However, it’s now 31 years and counting without a Cup. Time is ticking. Can they really consider running it back when their star players continue to come up small in big spots?

Igor Shesterkin was heroic in defeat. Without his incredible play, the Eastern Conference Final would’ve ended much sooner. At 28, he’s a year away from unrestricted free agency. With a bargain cap hit of $5.67 million through 2024-25, Shesterkin can write a blank check. That’s how remarkable his level was in the postseason.

This summer, the Rangers have decisions on a few key players. They include Ryan Lindgren, Braden Schneider, and Kaapo Kakko. All are restricted free agents.

Lindgren is a year away from unrestricted status. They must decide if he’s worth signing long-term. Considering the tenacious style he plays, they might want to see if he’s amenable to a team friendly deal between four to five years. Players like Lindgren don’t age well. That should be an interesting negotiation.

Schneider doesn’t have much bargaining power. He finished up an entry-level contract. The Rangers can sign him to an affordable deal that’s more short-term.

Kakko is more of a question mark. Having wrapped up a bridge deal that saw him make an AAV of $2.10 million, the Rangers can qualify him for $2.4 million.

The 23-year-old former 2019 second pick expressed frustration after being a healthy scratch for Game 2. He was right that everyone wants to play in the playoffs. A strong possession player who’s never scored consistently, Kakko has a secondary role on the Rangers. It’s not what he envisioned at this point.

His career best season was in 2022-23, when he posted 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points. In an injury plagued 2023-24, Kakko struggled to score. He finished with 13 goals and six assists in 61 games.

Kakko has played exactly 300 career games. He’s totaled 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points. A reliable defensive forward who’s never established himself in the top six or gotten top power play, it might be in his best interest to seek a trade. Supposedly, there are a few teams interested.

He might need a change of scenery. From a Rangers’ perspective, Kakko is affordable. They can keep him for another year and see if he can improve. More than likely, he could be traded to a team that can give him a better opportunity.

Blake Wheeler, Wennberg, Roslovic, Gustafsson, and Chad Ruhwedel are unrestricted. It’s doubtful that anyone will be back. Zac Jones is ready to take over the sixth defenseman role for Gustafsson. Unless Laviolette still wants Gustafsson to return, they’ll probably move on.

Next summer, Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller are RFA’s. Might the Rangers be interested in locking up Lafreniere, who started to blossom this postseason? That could make sense. Miller was better in the playoffs but remains inconsistent.

Shesterkin should be the top priority. Getting him extended makes sense. Do they really want to wait?

Currently, the Rangers have over $12 million in cap space. What will Chris Drury decide? Is there a move to be made that could change the dynamic of the team? Look at how much of an impact Matthew Tkachuk had on the Panthers. Even Bennett helped mold them into a much tougher team.

The Rangers’ biggest stars all have no-movement clauses. Trouba is signed another two years with an $8 million average cap hit. Panarin makes $11.64 million per year through 2025-26. Zibanejad is signed through 2029-30 with an AAV of $8.5 million. Kreider has a more affordable $6.5 million cap hit for another three years.

If they do decide to move on from a core player, it’ll be to change how they play. The Rangers must become a heavier team that’s harder to play against.

It’s only June 1. We’ll have a better idea what management thinks when the heat intensifies.

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Rangers’ special season ended by tougher Panthers

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Derek

There won’t be a championship to celebrate this summer. The Rangers had their special season end last night by the Panthers in Sunrise.

The Panthers took Game 6 by a score of 2-1 to eliminate the Rangers from the playoffs. For the second straight year, they defeated the Presidents’ Trophy winner. This time, it came in the Eastern Conference Final to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. They’ll return there and try to finish the job.

Ultimately, the Rangers ran into a better team. There’s no shame in losing to the battle tested Panthers, who proved to be tougher in a closely fought six-game series.  All but one game was decided by a goal. Even Game 1 was 1-0 before the Panthers put it away.

Despite getting outplayed for long stretches, the Rangers had plenty of chances to come out on top. In the end, they’ll look back at the third period of Game 5. Anton Lundell’s go-ahead tally helped the Panthers take a 3-2 series lead. Sam Bennett’s empty netter stood as the winner due to Alexis Lafreniere scoring his fourth goal with 49 seconds left. From there, the Panthers locked it down.

On Saturday night, it was a similar end result. Even though they outplayed the Panthers for most of the first period, the Rangers fell behind in the last minute. An Erik Gustafsson turnover in the neutral zone led to Bennett taking a return feed from Evan Rodrigues to put the Panthers ahead.

Following Gustafsson’s giveaway, Jacob Trouba went for a hit on Bennett. He slipped the puck to Rodrigues and got open in the slot for his fourth goal of the series. The Rangers still had players back in the area. But Barclay Goodrow was unable to pick up Bennett, who proved to be the Panthers’ best forward in the series. His rugged play combined with scoring and setting up key goals hurt the Rangers.

Peter Laviolette’s lineup adjustments didn’t work. He moved Goodrow onto the third line with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Aside from a couple of effective shifts spent in the offensive zone during the first period, that line was on for both Panthers’ goals.

Alex Wennberg moved up to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Although they looked good early on, nothing materialized. It was a frustrating series for Zibanejad, who didn’t score a goal. He was shut down by the stingy Panthers’ defense, which also clawed Artemi Panarin. Aside from a shorthanded goal, Kreider wasn’t a factor either.

Igor Shesterkin again was heroic in defeat. As the game went on, he made some terrific saves to give his team a chance. After stopping 34 shots in Game 5, he made 32 saves in Game 6. He was the best player in the series. Winning coach Paul Maurice had high praise for Shesterkin’s performance in the postgame.

He posted a 2.25 goals-against-average (GAA) with a .930 save percentage in the series. The amount of high danger chances he faced was absurd. Shesterkin stopped almost everything. It took a couple of fluke goals for the Panthers to beat him in Game 5.

Eventually, the Panthers kept plugging away to finally get to Shesterkin. He had no chance on either the Bennett goal (one-timer) or Vladimir Tarasenko’s series clincher (put away). They’ll still be talking about Shesterkin’s performance this postseason. He was remarkable.

If anything can be learned, it’s that the Rangers weren’t strong enough to win the Stanley Cup. They lost too many physical battles against the bigger Panthers, whose tenacious style wore them down.

Florida’s diligent checking and superb penalty killing took away the Rangers’ biggest weapons. They found little open space to make plays. The power play suffered. It was the Panthers who held the edge in special teams. They also were the better team at 5-on-5.

Even though they spent less time defending on Saturday night, the Rangers were unable to get inside on the Panthers. It was mostly one and done. No forward had more than one shot on goal through two periods. The Panthers left the points open for defensemen to shoot the puck on Sergei Bobrovsky. He handled it with ease.

The best opportunities to score came from Jack Roslovic and Zibanejad. On a delayed call, Roslovic missed the net on a wide open rebound. Later in the game, a bouncing puck took a carom in front for Zibanejad. But it bounced up, forcing Zibanejad to miss completely. That summed up his series.

You never got the impression they would score. That’s how well the Panthers defended. Bobrovsky saw everything. He finished with 23 saves.

The Rangers could only muster six shots in the third period. They struggled offensively. Even with Adam Fox playing his best game, it was hard to get shots through. The Panthers blocked 23 shots. Aaron Ekblad led them with six. He had a very good defensive series. Partner Gustav Forsling made several key defensive plays to break up chances. He was the best defenseman in the series.

Shesterkin robbed Tarasenko on a dangerous rebound with a pad save in which he stretched out. He did everything possible to keep the Rangers in it.

On a play where K’Andre Miller got caught out of position, Lundell skated in and passed across for a Tarasenko finish on the doorstep to make it 2-0 with less than 11 minutes remaining. Neither Braden Schneider nor Chytil picked up Tarasenko. It was another case where they had players back but failed in coverage.

The small details add up in a long series. The Panthers were way better at that. They’re a well coached team by Maurice. Ever since he took over, they’ve become a much different team. Adding Matthew Tkachuk changed their identity. They’re no longer soft. They all play the same hard-nosed style. The Rangers were unable to match it.

As time wound down, it looked like Bobrovsky would have the easiest shutout. But with Shesterkin on the bench, Vincent Trocheck got the puck over for an open Panarin, who finally scored his first goal of the series with 1:40 left in regulation.

It was one of the rare instances when Panarin had enough room to fire a laser by close friend Bobrovsky. There was enough time for the Rangers to force overtime.

However, the Panthers played splendid team defense. Bobrovsky only had to make one stop on Zibanejad from long range. The rest was superb checking.

On another dump in, Niko Mikkola killed off the remainder of the game. It was a cruel ending.

Ultimately, the Rangers were beat by a better team. One intent on winning the Cup. The way the Panthers play, it’s going to be tough for either Edmonton or Dallas to beat them. Florida now gets a week off.

As for the Rangers, a lot has been said by many observers. It’s too much. There are too many fickle fans who love to play the blame game. Trouba is the new target. It reminds me of all the ridiculous Dan Girardi chatter after they lost to the Kings for the Cup. Everyone’s an expert.

How about taking a step back to enjoy what made this season so special. The Rangers weren’t expected to finish with the league’s best record. They weren’t even supposed to win the division. There was cautious optimism going in.

Nobody knew they’d break the franchise record for most wins and points in a single season. Who had Panarin scoring 49 goals and 120 points? Trocheck was the best center they had. He did everything well. Lafreniere followed up his breakout season by scoring eight goals in the playoffs. He was by far their best forward against the Panthers. Goodrow again silenced the critics by scoring in the clutch.

Of all the Rangers teams, this was my favorite. They were fun to watch and exciting. Their never say die attitude was what made them so easy to root for. They were never out of games. Nobody thought they’d make it here. The season was a success.

Was it perfect? Of course not. Anytime you fall short of your ultimate goal, it’s disappointing. In the end, they got worn down by a better opponent. They kept battling until the final buzzer.

I don’t know what the off-season will bring. But I’ll always have another forever memory with Dad seeing them win a great Game 2 in the Conference Finals on a perfect Goodrow shot in overtime. Instead of worrying about what comes next, enjoy the hot weather. Take a break.

The Rangers gave us a lot to be proud of. They deserve to be appreciated for the season they had. Whatever they decide won’t be for a while. It was a fun ride.

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Do or Die: Core’s legacy on the line for Blueshirts

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Derek

Plenty has been said since Thursday’s 3-2 loss in Game 5 to the Panthers. Does this team have the gumption to go into Sunrise later tonight and win an elimination game the way the 1994 Rangers did in the same round?

It’s 30 years later. There’s no Mark Messier to back up a guarantee the way he did on May 27, 1994. The captain posted a natural hat trick in the third period of Game 6 to stun the Devils 4-2 at the Meadowlands. That was a lifetime ago.

It’s the last time the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. They, too, won the Presidents’ Trophy. They still had to stare down playoff extinction. Falling behind 2-0, they were a goalpost away from losing that memorable series in six games.

Instead, Messier dropped a pass for Alexei Kovalev, who scored late in the second period. Then came the fateful third when Messier took over. He tied the game by beating Martin Brodeur on a backhand. Then, he slammed home a rebound of a Kovalev shot to put the Rangers ahead. Following a timeout by Devils coach Jacques Lemaire, Messier fired the puck down and scored into an empty net to complete the legendary hat trick.

The Rangers still needed double overtime  before Stephane Matteau banked in a wrap-around off Slava Fetisov to give them a dramatic 2-1 win in Game 7. They defeated the Canucks in another nerve racking seventh game to win the franchise’s fourth Cup.

There are questions surrounding the current Rangers who fell behind the Panthers 3-2 following Game 5. Does this core have the guts to stave off elimination on the road? Can they respond to the challenge? If so, which player will lead them?

“We look at it as an opportunity… Winning the Stanley Cup is not supposed to be easy, and it’s these kind of moments that really form a team into a team that can become a championship team,” Vincent Trocheck told reporters regarding the pressure his team faces.

Trocheck’s been the most consistent Rangers skater in the series. His five points lead them in scoring against the Panthers. Linemate Alexis Lafreniere has four goals entering tonight’s match. He’s been very noticeable throughout due to his explosive speed and skill. Barclay Goodrow has three goals, including an overtime winner in Game 2.

In order for them to win, the Blueshirts need their best players to step up. In Thursday’s 3-2 loss, Chris Kreider scored a shorthanded goal for his first point of the series. Mika Zibanejad set it up. He also picked up his first point. Both would add helpers on a Lafreniere goal with 49 seconds left. There’s no doubt that both need to produce more in Game 6.

Artemi Panarin remains without a goal in the Eastern Conference Final. Bottled up by the checking of the Panthers, he’s found it tough to find time and space. They’ve marked him a lot by having three players surround him. Panarin more than anyone must fight through to make a difference. Three assists isn’t enough. He needs to score. There were opportunities last game. He missed on a one-timer off a set play.

In many ways, this feels like a legacy game for Panarin. He was good against the Hurricanes, scoring twice and adding six assists. Both goals were game-winners. That included the overtime winner in Game 3. There’s no doubt that he’s found it hard to get shots through against the stingy Panthers. They’ve blocked their share of shots. Panarin’s also missed wide.

If he wants to change the narrative that he isn’t a playoff performer, tonight would be a good start. He had a career high 49 goals during the regular season. So far, he has only four in the postseason. None over the last eight games. Panarin will be under the microscope.

Zibanejad faces similar scrutiny. He’s been the biggest disappointment in the series. While it’s true that going up against Aleksander Barkov is no easy task, he needs to be better. His struggles both at even strength and on the power play have hurt the Rangers. His one-timer from the left circle hasn’t been up to par.

Some of his decisions with the puck haven’t helped. In the first minute of overtime in Game 4, it was his bad pass that handcuffed Blake Wheeler, causing a breakaway for Barkov. Wheeler was forced to take a penalty. The Panthers won it on a Sam Reinhart power-play goal.

Speaking of the power play, with it firing blanks, might Peter Laviolette decide to finally give Lafreniere a look on the top unit? He’s been their hottest player. If he was put on it, you could make the argument for Zibanejad to come off. He hasn’t been effective. There’s nothing wrong with shifting him to the second unit. It could create better balance.

One of the issues Laviolette faces is what to do with his lineup. Filip Chytil hasn’t had enough of an impact to unlock Zibanejad and Kreider. They were a little better in Game 5. However, Chytil also saw some shifts on the fourth line. Laviolette tried both Jack Roslovic and Will Cuylle. Nothing has worked.

Roslovic was ineffective playing with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. Cuylle is a better choice to play on the third line. He brings size, strength, and speed. Maybe Roslovic doesn’t fit for this series.

What about Matt Rempe? He got four shifts for a total of 2:43 of ice time on Thursday. Hardly enough to have an impact. Does he come out of the lineup? If so, is it for Wheeler or Jonny Brodzinski? Brodzinski is the better skater. He had some chemistry with Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.  Vesey is week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered on a Ryan Lomberg hit in Game 2.

The defense won’t change. Adam Fox has looked a bit better in the last two games. He’s making better plays with the puck. Defensively, it’s been a struggle due to his lower-body injury. Ryan Lindgren has been steady and the warrior we expect.

I’d imagine Laviolette will keep Braden Schneider with K’Andre Miller. They were better. Jacob Trouba played with Erik Gustafsson, who really struggled. Does Laviolette have the guts to  bench him for Zac Jones in the biggest game of the season?

The Rangers are still around thanks to Igor Shesterkin. He’ll need to be at his best to have any chance of reaching a Game 7. Think Mike Richter. Shesterkin has been brilliant. But he can’t do it alone.

It’ll take full effort from all 18 skaters to get a win in Florida. Heart and guts. We’ll see what they’re made of.

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Panthers take Game 5 to put Rangers on brink

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Derek

Despite a better effort, the Rangers lost to the Panthers 3-2 in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. They now are on the brink of elimination.

In what was a very evenly played game, the Rangers had the better of the play over the first half. Unlike Games 3 and 4 at Florida, they were sharper.

Able to use their speed to get through the neutral zone, they generated more offense than the last two games. For most of the first period, they spent more time playing in the offensive zone. That led to better chances.

After being held to one shot in Game 4, Artemi Panarin came out firing. He had a better showing, finishing with four shots on goal and 11 attempts. If only one had gone in. While he was much more active, Panarin was held without a point.

The Panthers’ Eetu Luostarinen put the Rangers on a power play when he slashed Alex Wennberg in the neutral zone. However, they were unable to take advantage. Panarin missed wide and had another shot blocked. It was a frustrating night for him.

Sergei Bobrovsky made some key saves early on. He stopped 11 shots in a busier first. The Rangers outshot the Panthers 11-8.

The best chance for the Panthers came on a turnover. Sam Bennett got to a loose puck in front and hit the goalpost. He would be heard from later.

K’Andre Miller was called for roughing Vladimir Tarasenko in the offensive zone. That negated a three-on-two rush. Vincent Trocheck had just passed the puck to a wide open Panarin when the refs blew the play dead. Miller got his glove up on Tarasenko, who went down and sold it.

Shesterkin was called on to make a big save on a tricky Sam Reinhart tip-in of an Aleksander Barkov shot pass. That was the only dangerous opportunity the Panthers had on the power play.

Moments later, Shesterkin stopped Kevin Stenlund in front. The Panthers’ fourth line caused problems. They have been very effective since coach Paul Maurice inserted veteran Kyle Okposo and Steven Lorentz. Okposo has played well in limited duty.

A bad giveaway from Erik Gustafsson led to Okposo getting a shot on Shesterkin that he handled. Gustafsson really struggled last night. He threw away pucks and was credited with a team worst four giveaways.

Peter Laviolette continues to play him over Zac Jones, who is really needed. His skating could help the Rangers get out of their zone and transition quickly. With their backs against the wall, Laviolette should consider making a change. Gustafsson avoids contact and hasn’t had a good series.

Late in the period, Bobrovsky stopped Trocheck, Adam Fox, and Lafreniere to keep it scoreless. 

Less than a minute into the second period, Miller got called for his second penalty when he tripped Carter Verhaeghe. It was accidental. But the Panthers went on their second power play.

It was the Rangers who struck on the penalty kill. Taking advantage of a bad Matthew Tkachuk turnover inside the blue line, Kreider intercepted it and fed Mika Zibanejad. He then pushed the puck ahead for Kreider, who used his strength to get away from a chasing Reinhart and break in on Bobrovsky. He went to the backhand and tucked it in for his third shorthanded goal of the postseason.

Kreider’s three shorthanded goals matched Mark Messier for the most in franchise history during the postseason. Most importantly, it was his first goal of the series. Both he and Zibanejad recorded their first points on the play. It came at a good time.

The Rangers had a chance to add to their lead. Fox was taken down by Okposo. On their second power play, a turnover allowed Stenlund to get a shot on Shesterkin that rebounded right to Niko Mikkola, whose backhand was stopped. His momentum carried him into Shesterkin for a goalie interference minor. A scrum ensued. Gustafsson negated a potential 5-on-3 by roughing Mikkola behind the net.

Still on a 5-on-4 advantage, Kreider fired a high, rising shot that knocked off Bobrovsky’s mask. He went to the bench for repairs. When play resumed, the Rangers won a faceoff and had two good setups. But Zibanejad’s one-timer missed the mark. Panarin then sent a shot wide. Neither has been able to make a difference. That’s why the power play has struggled.

After the power play failure, the Rangers searched for more offense. But on a play inside the Panthers’ blue line, Trocheck had a dump in go awry. It led to a turnover. A quick counter started by Aaron Ekblad led Bennett into the Rangers zone. He slipped a pass ahead for Gustav Forsling, whose backhand went off Shesterkin and in to tie the score.

On the goal, Lafreniere had a miscommunication with Fox in coverage. He didn’t stick with Forsling, who then split both Fox and Ryan Lindgren for the goal. Fox probably could’ve closed the gap.

Another Gustafsson misread led to Jacob Trouba taking a penalty. He went for a big hit, which allowed Anton Lundell to move in and draw a holding the stick minor. But the Rangers held firm on the penalty kill.

After an icing, the Wennberg line was pinned in against the Tkachuk line. Able to forecheck the puck, they came very close to grabbing the lead. Shesterkin made his biggest saves on Tkachuk and Bennett in tight.

That was part of the Panthers grabbing the momentum. Once outshot 14-8, they turned it around. By the conclusion of the period, they had 13 of the last 16 shots to take a 21-17 lead.

In the third, they came out with more intensity. Looking to get the next goal, Florida piled up shots on Shesterkin. He made a pair of stops on Lundell, including denying him on a between the legs rebound. He then stopped Vladimir Tarasenko.

There was a lot of one and done for the Rangers. Despite being urged on by the crowd, who chanted, “Let’s Go Rangers,” they couldn’t raise their level.

It started to resemble the third period of the last game. The Panthers kept pressing. They were continuing to get shots through on Shesterkin, who did all he could. For the game, he finished with 34 saves.

Kaapo Kakko drew a tripping minor on Mikkola behind the Florida net. That sent the Rangers to their third power play. It felt like do or die.

Kreider had a tip-in on a Zibanejad shot pass that Bobrovsky made a tough pad save on. With the power play winding down, Wennberg got free in the slot for a good opportunity. But his wrist shot was stopped by Bobrovsky.

The Wennberg line was applying pressure on the Panthers during a shift. However, Kakko missed a rebound in front. That led to a quick transition in the opposite direction.

Luostarinen passed the puck up for Lundell. He then cut in and used a sliding Braden Schneider as a screen before firing a wrist shot past Shesterkin to give the Panthers the lead with 9:38 left in regulation.

Schneider went for the shot block. But by kneeling down, he was in Shesterkin’s path, which made it hard for him to pick up Lundell’s shot. He also allowed Tarasenko to get to the net and cause a problem for Shesterkin. Lundell beat him underneath for the Panthers’ second goal.

The Rangers tried to respond. A long Panarin shot was turned aside by Bobrovsky. He couldn’t get one to go. Panarin remains without a goal in the series. He hasn’t scored since Game 3 of the second round against the Hurricanes. It’s been a tough stretch.

Bobrovsky would also make saves on Lindgren and Fox. The trouble for the Rangers was there was a lot of one and done.

After Barkov was stopped by Shesterkin, Reinhart had the game on his stick. But somehow, a quick reacting Shesterkin made an acrobatic glove save to rob Reinhart.

The Panthers began to play back and take away the neutral zone. The best opportunity the Rangers had was when Fox took a tough shot from a sharp angle that went off Bobrovsky’s glove and wide.

With 2:36 remaining, Shesterkin went to the bench for a 6-on-5. Laviolette opted not to use his timeout. Despite getting some attack time, the Rangers were unable to set up a shot. Instead, a loose puck came to Bennett. After he gave Zibanejad a shot, he skated in and fired into the vacated net past a diving Fox to make it 3-1 with 1:52 left.

It seemed over. Following a timeout, the Rangers eventually got set up and made it interesting. On a Zibanejad shot pass, the puck banked off Lafreniere’s skate and in to cut it to 3-2 with 50 seconds left.

Incredibly, the Rangers iced the puck off the faceoff. That killed precious seconds. By the time Lafreniere dumped the puck in the corner, Mikkola kept it there as time ran out. No Ranger could free it up and create one last shot. That summed things up.

The Panthers are a heavier team who defends well. They’ve twice been the better third period team. It came in Games 4 and 5. That’s why they take a 3-2 series lead back home with a chance to clinch on Saturday night.

The Rangers played well enough to win. But in the third period, they got outplayed by a determined opponent who knows what it takes. The Panthers made the Stanley Cup Finals last year. They don’t panic. Their experience is why they’re one win away from making it back.

It’s going to take a lot of heart and determination for the Rangers to win Game 6. They’re going to have to win the battles. They need more traffic in front of Bobrovsky. They also can’t make as many mistakes in their end.

Laviolette’s decision to reunite Miller with Schneider worked. They weren’t stuck in their end as much against Barkov. However, Schneider’s mistake in transition proved costly. He screened Shesterkin on Lundell’s winner.

Gustafsson back with Jacob Trouba was not too good. Mostly due to Gustafsson coughing up pucks. Trouba came back with a stronger effort. But it didn’t matter. Laviolette loves Gustafsson. But inserting Jones for him is the move to make.

As far as Filip Chytil goes, he’s had little impact. It isn’t easy to return after missing so much time due to a concussion. Complicating matters, Jack Roslovic has been ineffective in the series.

Matt Rempe took only four shifts (2:43). That’s not enough to make an impact. What’s the point of playing him if the coach won’t use him? He praised Rempe’s work in Game 3. It makes no sense.

The loss of Jimmy Vesey has hurt the Rangers’ depth. It doesn’t help matters that Will Cuylle saw only 8:44 in 12 shifts. He plays with energy and has speed and grit. He should be playing more.

The Panthers’ depth has been the difference. They all play the same way. It isn’t easy for the Rangers.

Shesterkin has to be nearly perfect for them to win. If they’re to pull this off, they must play from in front. I don’t mean just getting one goal, either. It’s a tough challenge ahead. We’ll see what the Rangers are made of this weekend.

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Panthers’ heavy pressure wearing Rangers down

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Derek

After losing in overtime last night, the Rangers are tied with the Panthers through four games of the Eastern Conference Final. Game 5 is tomorrow night at The Garden.

It’s best-of-three to decide which team advances to play for the Stanley Cup. If you’ve watched this series closely, you know how fortunate the Rangers are to be tied.

For most of it, they’ve been dominated by the relentless forecheck of the Panthers. Somehow, they’ve survived the heavy pressure to get two wins. Both came in overtime. In Game 2, which was by far their best effort, Barclay Goodrow won it on a perfect shot set up by Vincent Trocheck. 

In Game 3, which saw them beat Sergei Bobrovsky four times in regulation, they hung on for dear life after blowing a 4-2 lead in a lopsided third period. Igor Shesterkin was the only reason they even reached sudden death. His clutch saves gave them a chance to steal it. An Alex Wennberg tip-in of a Ryan Lindgren shot gave them the win.

That was despite being outplayed by a wide margin. Forget the huge discrepancy in shot attempts. It’s been beaten up enough by ESPN. The Rangers have spent way too much time in their end zone defending. It isn’t sustainable.

The Panthers proved that point in Game 4. After the Rangers had their best period of the series, with Trocheck scoring on the power play off a good Artemi Panarin setup, they only totaled 10 shots for the remainder of the game. They were completely outplayed by a more desperate Panthers, who knew they had to win to even the series.

Even if that was the case, most concerning was how lethargic the Rangers looked. They couldn’t complete passes or get much done. The neutral zone became a wall. The Panthers sealed it up to go on the attack. There were uncontested break-ins that Shesterkin stopped. It looked like he was taking on the Panthers on his own.

Unfortunately, Shesterkin had some bad luck when a Gustav Forsling shot went off him to Sam Bennett behind the net. He didn’t know where the puck was. That allowed Bennett to bank it in off Shesterkin to tie the score. That goal was all the Panthers needed to surge ahead.

Less than four minutes later, Carter Verhaeghe scored a power-play goal by getting another favorable bounce, which allowed him to bat a backhand out of midair past Shesterkin to make it 2-1.

They could’ve run the Rangers out of the building. But Shesterkin never allowed it to happen. He stopped Aleksander Barkov in front to give his back pedaling team a chance.

Early in the third period, Evan Rodrigues missed wide on a dangerous chance. Shesterkin then denied Vladimir Tarasenko, who was given too much time and space.

If there was a positive, it was the play of the Rangers’ bottom six. They supplied energy with some hits and even a shift in the Florida zone. Something the top two lines haven’t proven capable of. That’s why they’ve spent so little time on the forecheck. A pattern that can’t continue.

An icing led to the Rangers tying the game. After losing a draw, the Trocheck line finally applied the kind of pressure needed to create offense. On a good forecheck created by Artemi Panarin, he got the puck to Adam Fox, who then made a Brian Leetch like spin-a-rama and wheeled a backhand pass for Alexis Lafreniere to redirect in to tie the score.

It was a sensational play. The execution from both Fox and Lafreniere, who the Panthers can’t seem to handle, was perfect. If only Lafreniere could be cloned. His game-breaking speed and skill have been on display during the postseason. His seven goals are tied with Chris Kreider for the second most on the team behind Trocheck’s eight.

Peter Laviolette needs to find a way to get Lafreniere more ice time. If that means playing him up for a few shifts with Mika Zibanejad and Kreider, he should do it. They need help. None of the other options have worked. Lafreniere is 22. He can be double shifted. After Trocheck, he’s been the best Rangers skater this postseason. He has 13 points (7-6-13) so far.

The most alarming aspect of last night’s game was how quickly the Panthers tilted the ice. The Rangers got no momentum from Lafreniere’s goal. It was unacceptable. They simply couldn’t stop the heavy pressure that the Panthers mounted.

Florida attacked at will. Matthew Tkachuk missed wide on a wrap-around. Wennberg blocked three shots to help prevent scoring chances. He made some excellent defensive plays.

Shesterkin came across to rob Kyle Okposo on the doorstep. Okposo was inserted by Paul Maurice to play on the fourth line. Even they had opportunities. It was a shooting gallery.

Somehow, the Blueshirts held on. There was a close call late in regulation for the all but invisible Zibanejad to be the hero. But he sent Kreider’s feed over the net. It was frustrating. Earlier in the game, he had a shot go off Sergei Bobrovsky and the goalpost on a power play. He has no goals in the last nine games.

With under two minutes left in regulation, Shesterkin made one more big save by gloving a Tarasenko point blank shot with ease. That’s how locked in he is. If only he had more support from his teammates.

Less than a minute into sudden death, Will Cuylle passed across for Zibanejad inside the Panthers’ zone. Instead of attempting a shot, he tried a cute pass for Blake Wheeler, who was bottled up. It led to a turnover.

Barkov had a breakaway on Shesterkin. He was hooked from behind by Wheeler. It probably should’ve been a penalty shot. I’m sure the Rangers wouldn’t have minded if it was called instead of a penalty. The way Shesterkin’s played, you’d take your chances.

Barkov set up Sam Reinhart in the slot for the game-winning power-play goal 72 seconds into overtime. The Panthers earned the 3-2 victory to draw even.

More than that, their aggressive style has been winning out against what looks to be an exhausted team. It’s increasingly difficult to keep playing on the defensive.

The Rangers are losing too many battles. They’re coughing up too many pucks. They’re turning it over constantly. They’re unable to get out of their zone consistently and come with speed through the neutral zone. There’s no sustained forecheck.

It isn’t like the Panthers are perfect. They’re not. They had more giveaways (17-12) than the Rangers last night. They can be exploited defensively. Bobrovsky can be beaten upstairs. That was proven in Game 3. They take bad penalties. The Rangers must make them pay for it.

In order to turn this around, they have to take the play to the Panthers. In Game 2, they were the aggressors. It led to a better end result. The first period in Game 4 was how they must play. Use that as a blueprint.

It’s easier said than done. Can the Blueshirts summon the energy necessary to win the series? Tomorrow feels like do or die. They’re on the ropes. We’ll see if they can get off the mat.

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Reinhart’s overtime winner lifts the Panthers over Rangers to tie series

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Derek

To a man, they weren’t good enough. Despite some more heroics from Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers got what they deserved on Tuesday night. Sam Reinhart scored a power-play goal at 1:12 of overtime to give the Panthers a 3-2 win in Game 4.

The series is now tied 2-2 with a pivotal Game 5 on Thursday back at Madison Square Garden. If they’re to have a realistic chance at winning the biggest game of the season, then the Rangers need to play a lot better.

For at least a period, they had the better of the play. For the first time in the Eastern Conference Final, the Rangers scored on the power play. Vincent Trocheck converted an Artemi Panarin pass from the slot to beat Sergei Bobrovsky up high at 8:51.

Shesterkin made four saves on a prior Panthers power play. His best came on Matthew Tkachuk. There were no rebounds. Florida found it tough to beat him. They also weren’t as sharp in the first period.

Instead, it was the Rangers who got the better chances. On another power play with Brandon Montour off for cross-checking Trocheck, they did everything but score. The puck moved so quickly that it felt like they’d score and take a two-goal lead.

Mika Zibanejad was all set up from the left circle. But his shot went off Bobrovsky and hit the crossbar. He was that close to finally getting his first goal of the series. That would come back to haunt him.

Despite outplaying and outshooting the Cats 13-11, the Rangers only led by a goal after one period. It was their best period of the series. They never came close to matching it the rest of the game.

Almost immediately, the Panthers flipped the switch in what was a dominant second period. The Rangers couldn’t complete passes and hardly had the puck. If it weren’t for Shesterkin making ridiculous saves, including a sliding stop to rob Carter Verhaeghe, the score would’ve been lopsided.

On a puck battle behind his net, Ryan Lindgren was called for a soft holding minor on Aleksander Barkov, who went down rather easily. For a superstar, he sure does that a lot to get calls. Technically, it was a penalty. The way the game was officiated is what made it frustrating.

After the power play expired, Sam Bennett was able to tie the score when he banked in a loose puck off Shesterkin. An aggressive Bobrovsky made a smart play by getting the puck up ice for Gustav Forsling. His shot handcuffed Shesterkin, who gave up a rebound. With K’Andre Miller scrambling in front, Bennett wisely put the puck in off Shesterkin, who didn’t have his near goalpost covered.

Things took a turn for the worse when Barclay Goodrow accidentally cleared the puck over the glass for a delay of game minor. On another power play, the Panthers got a nice bounce to take the lead.

Barkov moved the puck down los for Tkachuk. His pass for a Verhaeghe tip-in was stopped by Shesterkin. But the puck took a hop off both Shesterkin and Lindgren, and Verhaeghe batted a backhand out of midair to give the Panthers the lead with 7:44 remaining.

Despite owning the puck and holding a 14-5 edge in shots, the Panthers got two fluke goals to surge ahead. They weren’t beating Shesterkin clean. He’s been stopping everything. Their best chance is by crowding the net and getting puck luck. The strategy paid off.

With Forsling in the box for tripping Chris Kreider, the Rangers failed to capitalize on the man advantage. It was exasperating watching Zibanejad. His failure to make the right play with the puck is really hurting the team. He had a very bad night.

The one player who continues to make things happen is Alexis Lafreniere. For reasons known to only Peter Laviolette, he refuses to give him more ice time. Even if it means removing the slumping Zibanejad off the top unit in favor of Lafreniere, you ride the hot hand. Lafreniere deserved to be double shifted.

For too long in the second, Laviolette overplayed his top guys. That meant hardly any shifts for Goodrow, who’s only been one of their best players. Blake Wheeler and Matt Rempe hardly saw the ice due to special teams. But Laviolette shortchanged them despite both bringing energy. Something Zibanejad and Kreider rarely did.

The play of the bottom six was more noticeable. Alex Wennberg was good defensively under duress. Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle gave good efforts. But there wasn’t enough ice time for either. Even Lafreniere didn’t play enough through two periods.

In the third period, Lafreniere stayed hot to tie the score at 3:28. Following a Panarin pass over for Adam Fox, he made a great spin move and wheeled a backhand towards the net that Lafreniere got a piece of to score his third goal in the last two games. If that was a pass, it was an incredible play by Fox. He had two assists and looked like more of a threat.

Instead of gaining some momentum from Lafreniere’s latest goal, the Rangers let the Panthers smother them. Almost the remainder of the period was played in their end. It was absurd.

They relied on Shesterkin to make countless saves. He made 13 more stops to keep Florida off the scoreboard.

It wasn’t until Laviolette had Rempe back out late that something happened. On a play in transition, Rempe had Trocheck open in front. His soft pass for Trocheck took a tricky deflection that Bobrovsky made a good save on. He played better, making key stops in the first when the Rangers could’ve led by more.

Once again, the game went to overtime. Unlike the last two, it didn’t last long. On what was a lousy decision by Zibanejad, he tried a low percentage pass for Wheeler inside the Panthers’ blue line. Instead of shooting the puck, his brutal pass was taken away by Barkov, who broke in and forced Wheeler to hook him from behind.

In all honesty, it should’ve been a penalty shot. Had it been, I would’ve been more comfortable having Shesterkin face Barkov one on one. The Panthers went on another power play. It didn’t take long.

On a Montour pass down low for Barkov, he centered the puck for Reinhart, who buried a one-timer past Shesterkin to give the Panthers the win.

So. It’s now all about Game 5. The Panthers basically scored every goal on the power play. Bennett’s goal came three seconds after it expired. They did the same thing to win Game 1.

For as dominant as they’ve been at 5-on-5, they haven’t scored much there. Shesterkin hasn’t allowed them to. He’s trying to carry the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals. He can’t do it alone.

At some point, Zibanejad and Kreider must contribute. They can’t be as bad as they’ve been. Neither has a single point. Zibanejad’s ridiculous play cost the Rangers the game. It was a terrible read that he couldn’t make at that crucial point.

Panarin picked up two assists. But he was limited to one shot. He has no goals against the Panthers, either. His reputation is on the line. They need him to score in the next game.

It doesn’t matter who Laviolette plays in Game 5. Whether it’s Filip Chytil back in for Wheeler, who was blameless for what happened, they’re not the difference makers. That’s Zibanejad, Kreider, and Panarin.

The Rangers won’t win unless that changes.

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Wheeler to return for Rangers in Game 4

Posted on May 28, 2024 by Derek

In a plot twist, the Rangers have made a change to the lineup for Game 4 against the Panthers.

Blake Wheeler will make his return tonight. Having not played since sustaining a lower-body injury on Feb. 15 against the Canadiens that looked like the end of his season, the 37-year-old veteran forward had been cleared to play. He’d been waiting for an opportunity.

With the Rangers opting to healthy scratch Filip Chytil due to rest, it left them with a choice. Either insert Jonny Brodzinski or Wheeler. Coach Peter Laviolette has decided to go with the experience of Wheeler. In 65 career playoff games with Boston and Winnipeg, he’s posted 10 goals and 35 assists for 45 points.

Wheeler will play on the fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Matt Rempe. The change means that Will Cuylle shifts to the third line with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. Jack Roslovic is back with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

On the Panthers’ side, they’ve made two changes to their lineup. Coming out are Ryan Lomberg and Nick Cousins. Coming in are Kyle Okposo and Steven Lorentz.

We’ll see which side benefits from the moves.

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Panthers showed no class at the end of Game 3

Posted on May 28, 2024 by Derek

When Alex Wennberg scored at 5:35 of overtime to win Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final for the Rangers, the Panthers showed no class.

After losing the game, a couple of Panthers acted like trolls towards Matt Rempe. As the Rangers came off the bench to celebrate Wennberg’s clutch goal, both Matthew Tkachuk and Oliver Ekman-Larsson intercepted Rempe and tried to start something.

Ekman-Larsson gave Rempe a slash, and Tkachuk cross-checked him. It was uncalled for. They lost the game. It sure looked like they were picking on the 21-year-old rookie forward.

Tkachuk is one of those players who isn’t shy about mixing it up. The game’s premier power forward is very skilled. He picked up two assists in the Panthers’ loss. He could’ve shown better judgment than to act like a sore loser.

Ekman-Larsson isn’t known for any rough stuff. He’s primarily an offensive defenseman who is used on the power play. He is on the third pair with Dmitry Kulikov. They got victimized by Alexis Lafreniere for a highlight reel goal that gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead late in the second period on Sunday.

It’s hard to argue with the Daily Faceoff’s Jonny Lazarus’ assertion that the Panthers are a bit caught up in Rempe. Why else would they go after him following an overtime loss? He only played 4:02 the other day.

He was on for Barclay Goodrow’s first goal. He set a perfect screen on Sergei Bobrovsky. Rempe’s roughing minor led to a Sam Reinhart power-play goal.

In a game that Florida dominated, they still were taking runs at guys. The Panthers play a very aggressive, physical brand of hockey. When Jacob Trouba was called for elbowing Evan Rodrigues, the Panthers forward tried to sell it to get a major. As bad as it was for Trouba to extend his elbow, he never caught Rodrigues’ head. He got the shoulder and neck.

On another play during the game, Rodrigues led with an elbow that missed Wennberg. Luckily, he didn’t come close on the attempted illegal check.

It was during Game 2 that Kulikov came late with a high hit on Wennberg that sent him down. After reviewing the play for a major, the officials determined that it was a two-minute minor for interference.

It was the correct ruling. Kulikov’s check made contact with the chest of Wennberg. The fact that it was late made it a minor penalty.

At this stage of the postseason, it’s hit or be hit. Sometimes, players will play on the edge. The Panthers remain the aggressor in the series. They’ve outplayed the Rangers in two of three games but trail 2-1. Now, a critical Game 4 awaits later tonight in Sunrise, Florida.

Obviously, the Rangers need to put forth a better effort. They can’t expect to get away with what happened on Sunday. Even if shots were 37-23, most of the play was spent defending in their own zone.

The Panthers will be desperate. They know how difficult it is to beat Igor Shesterkin. Even in allowing four goals, he made the clutch saves to help the Rangers steal Game 3. He’s the biggest reason they’re two wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

There’s something to be said for this team’s character. They find ways to win. They’re now 4-0 in overtime this postseason. The Blueshirts are a resilient bunch who sticks together.

They can’t expect to win later unless Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider play better. None of their biggest scorers have a goal in the first three games.

Panarin has one assist with seven shots while other attempts have been blocked or missed completely. Zibanejad is going up mostly against Aleksander Barkov. His line with Kreider has been neutralized. They can still do a much better job of getting pucks in and spending time attacking.

The Rangers are 0-for-8 on the power play. They’ve struggled to get much set up. The Panthers have done a good job taking away what they like to do.

Complicating matters, Adam Fox is playing on one good leg. He isn’t able to move well due to the knee on knee hit he took from Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen in Game 4 of the first round on Apr. 28. The injury is serious.

Fox is still out there giving everything he has. He’s not as effective. Partner Ryan Lindgren has been better. It was his point shot that Wennberg tipped in for the game-winner on Sunday.

Obviously, Trouba and K’Andre Miller need to be better. Considering the strong character they have, expect them to rebound. Erik Gustafsson has been more effective since being reunited with Braden Schneider. He’s shown more confidence at making plays with the puck and jumping into the rush.

If things get ugly tonight, then maybe Rempe will pay back the Panthers for their shenanigans. But if it’s close like the previous games, then anything is possible. We’ll see what happens.

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Trouba fortunate not to get suspended

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Derek

As expected, the Department of Player Safety fined Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba $5,000 for elbowing Evan Rodrigues. He was fined the maximum amount under the CBA.

The elbow took place with 2:28 left in the second period. On a delayed penalty for slashing, Trouba attempted a desperation hit that caught Rodrigues up high.

Fortunately, the elbow didn’t make head contact. Instead, it landed on the shoulder and neck of Rodrigues. After they reviewed the play for a major penalty, it was reduced to a two-minute minor.

The Rangers were able to bail Trouba out by killing off a four-minute Panthers’ power play. He was lucky that his undisciplined penalties didn’t prove costly.

Aside from that, Trouba’s fortunate he wasn’t suspended. To echo ESPN analyst P.K. Subban, that wasn’t a hockey play. It was an elbow with intent to injure an opponent. I understood Subban’s argument for it being a major. Mark Messier didn’t utter a word during the segment.

Had Trouba connected with Rodriguez’ head, he would’ve been gone for both the game and the series. While he’s correct that it happened so fast, he can’t do that. It’s dangerous and too risky.

In the second round, he nearly decapitated Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. He went for a big hit, and Necas ducked out of the way. Instead, Trouba went flying into the boards. That was close.

Trouba has to know better. He likes to hit. That’s fine. Hitting is part of hockey. But he can’t head hunt. Like it or not, he now has that reputation. The refs are going to be keeping a close eye on him.

The Rangers captain is very accountable after games. He has to toe the line. He’s also needed on the ice. Trouba took three penalties on Sunday. He now leads the postseason with 10. That’s far too many for a key player who’s an important part of  both five-on-five and the penalty kill.

In a game, when he was far from his best, Trouba still managed to help set up two goals. He has three assists over the last two games. Any offense he adds is a bonus. The focus is on being better defensively with partner K’Andre Miller against a relentless Panthers’ attack.

Game 4 is tomorrow night at 8 EST on ESPN.

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