Zibanejad leads the Rangers in Game 1 win over Hurricanes

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Derek

It got a little dicey late. But the Rangers skated past the Hurricanes 4-3 to take Game 1 of the best of seven series at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon. They started the second round off on the right foot.

Mika Zibanejad led the way with two goals and an assist for a three-point game. His fingerprints were all over the victory. He scored the first goal only 2:46 in to set the tone.

Zibanejad would later add a big power-play goal to put the Rangers ahead for good in a strong first period. They outscored the Hurricanes 3-1. That included going a perfect 2 for 2 on the man-advantage. Zibanejad added a primary assist on a power-play goal scored by Vincent Trocheck.

When Seth Jarvis made things interesting by getting his first goal of the series to pull the Hurricanes within 4-3 late in regulation, it was Zibanejad who made a key defensive play to close out the win. Prior to that, he won a big defensive draw with the Canes on a six-on-four due to Trocheck being off for delay of game.

Zibanejad’s faceoff win led to Andrei Svechnikov tripping Ryan Lindgren with 35 seconds left to negate the Canes’ power play. It was his takeaway in the neutral zone and soft forehand shot that nearly resulted in a playoff hat trick. Brent Burns hustled in the nick of time to just move the puck away before it went in.

The Canes got off one last desperation shot from Jake Guentzel that Igor Shesterkin turned away before the Rangers cleared the zone to clinch the victory.

It was that kind of ending on 33rd and 7th Avenue for the Blueshirts. They couldn’t do it the easy way. That was due to the Hurricanes, who kept coming. Even after Frederik Andersen gave up a bad goal to Artemi Panarin to put them behind 4-2 with 11:39 left in the third period, they never gave up.

Ultimately, the difference was special teams and the Panarin goal that Andersen allowed. The Rangers went 2 for 2 on the power play while killing off all five Hurricanes’ power plays.

The Canes didn’t get much setup time. They found it hard to get clean shots through. Both the forwards and defensemen were superb for Peter Laviolette’s team. They took away shooting lanes and made it difficult for Carolina to make plays. They were held to four shots up a man.

If there was another noticeable difference, it was the Rangers’ ability to block shots. As a team, they blocked 28. As usual, captain Jacob Trouba led the way with six. He was particularly strong on the penalty kill. Trouba also finished with four hits, including a big one on Jarvis after he was boarded by Chris Kreider.

The fast start was a surprise. On a play that Adam Fox started in transition, Jack Roslovic continued his impressive postseason by circling around the Canes’ net before locating a wide open Zibanejad for an easy one-timer in front past Andersen.

Zibanejad roamed free due to Teuvo Teravainen. He got caught puck watching. Instead of covering Zibanejad, he skated towards Roslovic, who made a perfect pass for the game’s first goal. That extended Roslovic’s point streak to five straight. He is up to five points in five playoff games.

The Canes had a quick response. They tied the game just 62 seconds later. Jake Guentzel and Sebastian Aho combined to get the puck up top for a Jaccob Slavin shot that deflected off Alexis Lafreniere’s stick past Igor Shesterkin into the top of the net.

Almost immediately after, Brady Skjei had a shot hit the goalpost. Matt Rempe then came out and delivered a couple of clean hits. The fourth line was effective throughout the game. They continue to bring energy.

On a play behind the Rangers’ net, Kreider took an unnecessary boarding minor when he hit Jarvis from behind. The Canes came close early. But Martin Necas had his shot go off the goalpost. They had no shots on it.

With the game still tied, Tony DeAngelo nailed Will Cuylle with a high hit. Just before, Cuylle looked like he was taken down from behind by Necas, who thought he had a penalty. Instead, the refs reviewed DeAngelo’s hit for a major. It looked like he landed a forearm to the upper chest of Cuylle. Maybe there was some contact with the helmet. It was hard to tell.

Following the video review, they ruled that DeAngelo had a two-minute minor for roughing. It’s still hard to conclude if it was the right call. The Rangers benefited from the penalty.

On what was a set play following a Trocheck faceoff win, they made short work of their first power play in the series. It took only nine seconds for Trocheck to move the puck in front for Kreider. He then made a misdirection backhand pass for a Zibanejad one-timer that Andersen had no chance on.

It was a beautiful goal. They took advantage of the Canes’ aggressiveness up top. That opened up a space for Kreider to find Zibanejad for a 2-1 lead.

On the next shift, with the fourth line of Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Rempe buzzing, the latter got taken off for an iffy goaltender interference minor. Rempe set up in front to try to screen Andersen. He was in a battle with Jordan Staal when his skate made contact with Andersen. It looked like he was guided into him. Laviolette was incensed on the bench.

Despite that, the Rangers once again stepped it up defensively. Their four-man penalty killing units outworked the Hurricanes’ five-man power play units. Whether it was Zibanejad, Kreider, K’Andre Miller, Fox, or Trocheck, Goodrow, Ryan Lindgren, and Trouba, they got it done.

The Canes were limited to two shots. Even after Trouba and Svechnikov were sent off for matching roughing minors during a scrum, they didn’t give up much. Shesterkin stopped Guentzel. That was it.

Bad penalties got Carolina in trouble. Evgeny Kuznetsov cross-checked Fox in the offensive zone to be sent to the box with under four minutes remaining. This time, it took the Blueshirts 14 seconds to make the Canes pay.

Erik Gustafsson filled in for Fox on the top unit. He made a good play to keep the puck alive, followed by Trocheck. Eventually, Trocheck made a backhand feed to Kreider, who had Zibanejad open for a possible hat trick. He fanned on the shot. The puck took a favorable bounce right in front for Trocheck to deposit for a 3-1 lead with 3:32 left. 

The Canes finished the period a little better. But they were unable to beat Shesterkin. Shots were only 7-6 Rangers. That spoke to the commitment to defense.

With over a minute to go, Zibanejad was all alone in front. He faked a shot on Andersen. But instead of going for a backhand, he made a low percentage back pass that missed connection with Panarin. It was exasperating. He already had two goals. It’s a good thing they won.

Early in the second period, Trouba was sent off for a very weak cross-check on Stefan Noesen. By the rulebook, it’s a penalty. It wasn’t much. There were a few calls in the game that made one wonder in astonishment.

Even without one of their top penalty killing defensemen, the Rangers again blanketed the Canes. They could only muster a long Svechnikov shot that Shesterkin easily saves. Other attempts got blocked or missed completely.

Trocheck took the puck the other way to test Andersen shorthanded. He and Goodrow really stood out on each successful kill. They did an outstanding job. Is there anyone still upset over what Goodrow makes?

After the penalty expired, the Canes spent some extended time in the Rangers zone. Staal had a shot stopped by Shesterkin. Staal was arguably the best Hurricanes skater. He had three shots and dominated on faceoffs, going 8 and 2.

There were some good hits in the second. Cuylle laid into Jalen Chatfield, who was seen in pain headed back to the bench. He didn’t miss a shift. Then, Dmitry Orlov caught Trocheck with a clean check. The game was hard fought.

Similar to the first, there weren’t many shots on goal. The Canes continued to struggle offensively. They were held to six shots for the second straight period. They also had some attempts go wide. When they weren’t being blocked, it looked like they were frustrated.

The Rangers had 10 shots in the second. If there was one complaint, the Rangers didn’t establish much of a forecheck. They will need to be better in that area for the next game on Tuesday night. They killed off a Fox slashing minor late in the period.

Early in the third, the Canes got back in it thanks to Necas getting behind Fox and Lindgren to beat Shesterkin low at 2:48. Carolina caught the Rangers in a line change.

An Orlov stretch pass for Jordan Martinook allowed him to slip the puck behind Trocheck for Necas, who cut in between Fox and Lindgren to score his first of the series. That made it a one-goal game.

Urged on by the home crowd, the Blueshirts responded. It came from their leading scorer. Lafreniere made a nice pass for Panarin that allowed him to cut in and fire a wrist shot from the left circle that went right through Andersen to restore a two-goal lead with 11:39 left.

Panarin looked pass but wisely took the shot and got a little lucky. Andersen was unable to squeeze the pads together. It was as ESPN’s Ray Rerraro called, “a backbreaking goal.”

Undaunted, the Canes turned up the heat. They began to dictate the play with their skating and strong puck possession. They doubled up the Rangers in attack time for the game. But it really wasn’t until the final part of the third period that they controlled the action.

Even though they were getting more shots on Shesterkin, not many were Grade A chances. He saw most of the shots. His best save again came on Staal, who got a piece of a shot in front.

As they got down to crunch time, the Rangers sacrificed for the cause. They blocked shots and made the Canes work. It wasn’t until Rod Brind’Amour lifted Andersen for an extra attacker that things got interesting.

A Burns shot was stopped by Shesterkin, who then denied Aho in front. With both Fox and Lindgren outnumbered, Jarvis steered in a rebound to make it 4-3 with 1:47 remaining.

After Brind’Amour used his timeout, the Canes tried to tie it. Following sending a shot wide, Svechnikov had another shot gloved by Shesterkin with exactly a minute left. It looked like it was going wide.

In a battle on the wall, Trocheck batted a puck in midair with his glove that went directly over the glass and out. The refs and linemen got together before correctly calling Trocheck for a delay of game minor with 41 seconds left.

The Canes’ last hope was a six-on-four. But following a Zibanejad faceoff win over Aho, Svechnikov took down Lindgren to end the power play with 35 ticks left. It became four-on-four until the Canes could pull Andersen once more.

Zibanejad then made a heads-up defensive play on Burns in the neutral zone. He sent a shot towards the open net. Burns did a great job to save a goal.

Following one last Shesterkin stop on Guentzel, the Rangers got the puck out as time expired to seal the win in Game 1.

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Pastrnak’s overtime winner is the latest cruel ending for Leafs

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Derek

It was do or die last night in Boston. The Maple Leafs had battled back by taking Games 5 and 6 to force a deciding seventh game against the Bruins.

There was a lot riding on the line. If Boston lost, they would’ve become the first team in playoff history to blow 3-1 series leads in consecutive years. If Toronto lost, it would’ve been another colossal failure for one of the league’s most talented teams.

For over two periods, there was no score. After the Bruins controlled most of the first period, it was all Leafs in the second period. They dominated the puck possession and had some quality chances to score.

Jeremy Swayman was outstanding in stopping all 12 shots in the second. That included a huge save on William Nylander.  It was set up by Matthew Knies after a Charlie McAvoy turnover at the Leafs’ blue line. Swayman faced enormous pressure. In a series where he was the best player, the Bruins netminder gave his team a chance to avoid making history.

The third period was tightly contested. Just when the Bruins had momentum, they got scored on. Tyler Bertuzzi stole the puck in the corner. Then Auston Matthews came out and passed across for an easy Nylander one-timer past Swayman to give the Leafs the lead with 10:59 left.

It felt over. The Leafs had defended so well in front of Ilya Samsonov that it looked exactly like the last two games. The only difference was that Joseph Woll was in the net. Unfortunately, he came down with an injury late in Game 6. That forced Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe to start Samsonov.

Matthews was a bigger story. He’d missed the last two games with an injury. He exited Game 4 early due to an illness. At least that was what was relayed. However, Keefe revealed that the Leafs’ superstar got hurt. He returned for Game 7. Even at less than full strength, he made things happen. It was his setup that led to Nylander’s third goal in two games.

Following Nylander’s tally, the Bruins finally got desperate. Playing for their playoff lives, a strong shift from the third line led to Hampus Lindholm scoring the tying goal 81 seconds later.

After a close call with a Justin Brazeau shot just deflecting over the top of the Leafs’ net, James van Riemsdyk fed Lindholm, who was able to beat Samsonov from a tough angle with a good shot that went short side inside the goalpost. That tied the score with 9:38 left in regulation.

The Leafs only had one shot over the next nine minutes. The tables were reversed. It was the Bruins who were more aggressive. They nearly had the go-ahead goal. David Pastrnak was all set up, but his one-timer from the slot missed over the top with Samsonov scrambling.

As the clock wound down, it looked like the Leafs were content to take their chances in overtime. They won Game 5 that way. But with seconds to spare, Nylander had a pass bank off a Bruin towards the net. An alert Swayman made a great save to deny what would’ve been an own goal at the buzzer.

Sudden death didn’t take long to decide. Knies made an early bid to end it, but Swayman made the clutch save. The Leafs wouldn’t threaten again.

On a Brandon Carlo outlet, Lindholm was in the neutral zone when he made a great read. He threw a bank pass off the wall that a speeding Pastrnak collected to get behind Morgan Rielly for a clean break-in on Samsonov. Called out by coach Jim Montgomery after Game 6, he faked to the forehand and went to the backhand on a deke to win the game for the Bruins at 61:54.

It was a great move and finish by one of the game’s best goal scorers. Pastrnak entered with just two goals. He delivered in the clutch to win the series for Boston.

For the Leafs, it was another crushing defeat. They always seem to wind up on the wrong side in these big spots. Especially against the Bruins. They’ll have all summer to wonder how they came up short. They looked like the better team. Even with the injuries that limited Nylander, Matthews, and kept Woll out of Game 7.

Unlike their past first round failures, this wasn’t a choke. It was a different set of circumstances. With their backs to the wall, the Leafs fought hard to get back in the series. They overcame the loss of Matthews to force Game 7. They struggled to score goals against Swayman, who was brilliant. But they defended much better to make it tough on the Bruins.

Ironically, Keefe coached well. He made adjustments to help the Leafs play better defensively. They looked organized. Joel Edmundson was very strong on the blue line. They allowed both Woll and Samsonov to see most of the shots.

But on the Pastrnak series clincher, it was a total breakdown. The Leafs’ best players got caught napping. They were turned the wrong way on the Lindholm dump in off the boards. That included both Rielly and Mitch Marner, who again didn’t distinguish himself in the postseason. They were the biggest culprits on the Pastrnak overtime winner. They got beat badly.

Now, a long off-season awaits for a franchise that hasn’t advanced past the second round in 22 years. The Leafs will make changes to a core that’s been in place for a while. The likely candidates to get moved are Marner and John Tavares. Both have no-trade clauses. There are two years remaining on their contracts.

Toronto has waited over five decades to see a winner. The Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967. It’s now up to 57 years (56 seasons) without one. At some point, that has to change.

Keefe is likely to lose his job. He couldn’t get the Leafs over the hump. Toronto should be in the market for a new coach.

As for the Bruins, they advanced to the second round. They’ll face the Panthers. The same team that broke Boston hearts by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to win in the first round last year. The Panthers went on a run all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. They lost to the Golden Knights.

Boston will be seeking revenge. The question is, what do they have left? The first round series against Toronto was very competitive. It was a real battle. By the conclusion, they looked slow. They can’t be against the high flying Panthers.

Considering the talent and depth Florida has, they should prevail. We’ll see what Boston comes up with.

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Second Round Series Preview: Rangers face true test against Hurricanes

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Derek

Two years ago, the same teams met in the second round. Until the conclusion, home ice meant plenty. Then, the Rangers flipped the script and stormed the Hurricanes 6-2 to win the deciding seventh game in Raleigh.

It’s a second round rematch between two of the league’s best. The winner advances to the Eastern Conference Finals. The lower has all summer to think about what went wrong.

The stakes are high. For the Rangers, they have all the pressure due to winning the President’s Trophy to gain home ice throughout the playoffs. In the salary cap era, only two teams have won the Stanley Cup after finishing with the best record. They’re looking to make it three.

It isn’t like the Hurricanes don’t have pressure to win. They’ve been here before, having lost in the Conference Finals twice. Both times, they were swept. The Canes went all in at the trade deadline by acquiring former Stanley Cup winners Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov. They upgraded the offense.

With the Rangers bolstering their depth by adding Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic, that’s helped provide some balance up front. They’re still a bit top-heavy. It’ll be interesting to see how much support they get from the bottom six. In the first round, the play of the fourth line provided a boost.

Now, they’ll face an opponent who finished with the third most points. It’s going to be a true test. How do the Metropolitan Division rivals stack up?

FORWARDS: The Canes are led by Sebastian Aho. He had a quiet first round with only two goals and an assist. Guentzel tallied four points. Seth Jarvis has been the breakout star. He followed up a career best 33-goal and 67-point season by leading the Canes with three goals and four assists for seven points against the Islanders.

Andrei Svechnikov is an explosive skater who plays with edge. Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen are good players. Kuznetsov paid dividends with two goals and two helpers in the first round. Stefan Noesen is a net front presence. Jordan Staal remains a steady force. Jack Drury, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Jordan Martinook lend depth to a well-balanced attack.

The Rangers are led by Artemi Panarin. He had two goals with an assist against the Capitals. Both goals were game-winners. Vincent Trocheck was a standout in the first round with three goals and three assists, along with a 71.2 percent faceoff percentage. Alexis Lafreniere had a strong showing with four assists and some physical play.

Mika Zibanejad came to life to pace the Rangers with seven points (3-4-7) versus Washington. He was splendid on special teams and played better at five-on-five. Chris Kreider got both his goals at even strength. Roslovic was a revelation by recording a point in each game. He’ll need to continue that trend.

Wennberg anchors the third line with puck possession wizard Kaapo Kakko and the gritty Will Cuylle. They’ll have to be a factor. The fourth line is comprised of Barclay “Mister May” Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and the beast Matt Rempe. If they fall behind, Filip Chytil is ready to return.

Edge: Even

DEFENSEMEN: Jaccob Slavin anchors a strong unit. He remains a shutdown defenseman for the Canes. Brent Burns can still be dangerous pinching in and blasting away. Brady Skjei is a good skating defenseman who jumps into the rush. His five helpers led Carolina in the first round. Dmitry Orlov plays a key role. No stranger to the postseason. He has size and skating ability.

Jalen Chatfield had a good season. He can look for his shot when the Canes have opponents pinned in. Tony DeAngelo is a smaller offensive defenseman who likes to take chances. He can be exposed. The Canes are still without Brett Pesce. He’ll miss the first two games. If he returns, that would be a huge plus.

Adam Fox leads the way for the Rangers. He’s playing banged up after a collision with Nick Jensen in Game 4. He had two assists in Round 1. It was his defense that stood out. He played with more physicality.  Ryan Lindgren remains the perfect sidekick.

K’Andre Miller is coming off a strong series. He was much more aggressive and took the body. He had one of the Rangers’ two shorthanded goals. Braden Schneider remains partnered with Miller. He was just okay versus the Caps. He’ll have to be better this round.

Jacob Trouba plays like a warrior. He will hit and block shots for the cause. For a player who can’t be close to 100 percent, the captain was quite effective in the first round. He added two assists. Trouba is a key penalty killer. Erik Gustafsson was better than expected. He had two assists and didn’t make too many glaring mistakes. He’ll be under more duress against the Canes. Zac Jones remains a good insurance policy if they need to make a change.

Edge: Even

GOALIES: Frederik Andersen was very good for the Canes in the first round. He made the big saves when they needed it most. A veteran goalie who hasn’t always been healthy, he has something to prove.

Igor Shesterkin remains one of the game’s best netminders. Following a great second half, he continued to roll in the opening round. The Canes will present a much better challenge. Shesterkin might need to be the best player in the series for the Rangers to advance.

Edge: Rangers

COACHES: Rod Brind’Amour versus Peter Laviolette. The Hurricanes feature the former captain who led them to a Cup in 2005-06 under Laviolette. It’s a fascinating matchup.

Don’t expect either to get outfoxed. Laviolette loves getting his matchups. He will try to take advantage of getting the last change on home ice. Brind’Amour also will match up. But he has a bit more trust in his depth than Laviolette.

It sets up to be a chess match.

Edge: Even

SPECIAL TEAMS: Both teams are good in this area. They were nearly dead even on the power play in the first round. The Rangers went 6 for 16 (37.5) while the Hurt went 5 for 15 (33.3). The Rangers probably have bigger weapons due to Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider, Fox, and Trocheck.

But the Canes have plenty of balance. Five different players had one power-play goal. Guentzel didn’t have any. Neither did Aho or Burns.

The penalty kill favors the Rangers. They went 15 for 17 (88.2) while scoring two shorthanded goals. Zibanejad and Kreider are threats. Trocheck and Goodrow are smart, defensive forwards who can come the other way. Lindgren, Fox, Miller, and Trouba are the defensemen.

The Canes went 8 for 11 (72.7). They didn’t take many penalties due to their superior play at even strength. Staal and Aho are key centers along with Jarvis, Teravainen, Drury, and Martinook. Slavin will see a lot of time along with Burns, Skjei, and Orlov.

Edge: Rangers

FACEOFFS: The Rangers are one of the best faceoff teams in the league. Led by Trocheck, they won 55.5 percent in the first round. He’ll be leaned on heavily. Zibanejad went 49.0 percent, and Goodrow won 45.8. Wennberg won 40.6.

The Hurricanes were just over 50 percent. Staal does the heavy-lifting. He won 56.7 of draws. Aho won only 44.4. Kuznetsov went 53.2. Kotkaniemi won 48.7.

Whoever can win the faceoffs will dictate the action.

Edge: Rangers

INTANGIBLES: The Hurricanes are considered the betting favorite in the series. But they’ll go in with an underdog mentality. That can bode well. Most of the pressure is on the Rangers. But both teams know there won’t be a lot more chances to win a championship. That’s what makes this matchup so fascinating.

Edge: Even

ANALYSIS: These teams are very evenly matched. The Canes are the better puck possession team. They want to wear down opponents with their aggressive attack. With an improved power play, offense shouldn’t be a problem.

The Rangers must do a good job winning puck battles. They can’t make some of the sloppy mistakes they did in the first round. The Canes are a much faster team who feeds off transition. The Rangers are similar. In some aspects, they’re mirror images.

There should be a lot more physicality. Expect plenty of battles. It should be hotly contested.

Home ice could matter. This shapes up to be a long series.

PREDICTION: Rangers in 7

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Rangers to face Hurricanes in second round showdown, Game 1 Sunday

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Derek

A rematch two years in the making is set. On Tuesday ay night, the Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 6-3 to win their first round series in five games.

The Canes broke open a tie game by scoring consecutive goals in an eight-second span. Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen made it 5-3 less than five minutes into the third period. That offset the Islanders rallying in the second period from two down to tie the score.

Seth Jarvis added an empty netter late to put the finishing touches on the Hurricanes’ Game 5 victory. He was the Canes’ best player in the first round – leading them in scoring with seven points (3-4-7). He had a goal and two assists in the series clincher.

By eliminating the Islanders for the second straight year, the Hurricanes set up a second round showdown with the Rangers. They faced each other in the same round during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers came out victorious by coming back to beat the Hurricanes in seven games. That included a 5-2 win in Game 6 and a 6-2 win in Game 7. It was the only time in the series the road team prevailed.

That was then. This is now. While many of the featured actors remain part of the two rosters, there’ll be some different players added to the second round rematch.

Jake Guentzel is the biggest name that the Canes added. The acquisition helped bolster their offense. It shouldn’t be as easy to shut them down.

On the flip side, Vincent Trocheck has become a big weapon for the Rangers. The two-way pivot was dominant in a first round sweep of the Capitals by posting six points (3-3-6) and a 71.2 percent faceoff win percentage. In a subplot, he’ll face his former team. He was on the wrong side two years ago.

There’s also the coaching matchup. It pits the student versus the teacher. Way back when, Peter Laviolette coached the Hurricanes to its only Stanley Cup. Rod Brind’Amour was his captain. Now, he’s behind the Carolina bench. It’s probably the biggest storyline. Who will prevail?

Amongst the key players who were part of Rangers/Hurricanes Part 1:

Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, Jacob Trouba, K’Andre Miller, Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Barclay Goodrow, Braden Schneider, Igor Shesterkin, Vincent Trocheck

Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Martin Necas, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, Tony DeAngelo, Pyotr Kochetkov, Antti Raanta

Carolina was without Frederik Andersen. He had a strong first round against the Islanders – posting a 2.25 goals-against-average (GAA) and .912 save percentage. Andersen is the biggest change. The Canes have their starting goalie for the rematch.

As noted earlier, Trocheck is on the Rangers this time. He had three goals for the Hurricanes in the second round two years ago. He also hit some goalposts. Unlike that matchup, the Canes will be without Jesper Fast. The former Ranger is out for the rest of the season with an upper-body injury.

If he gets back in for the series, keep an eye on Chytil. He was an x-factor in the Rangers’ second round triumph by posting four goals in 2022. He centered the third line. Lafreniere had three assists, and Kakko had an assist. All three were plus players who drove offense.

Zibanejad paced the Blueshirts with four goals and four assists for eight points. Aho led the Canes with two goals and four assists for six points. Fox also had eight points (2-6-8).

Shesterkin made the difference, finishing with a 1.72 GAA and .949 save percentage. Raanta made six starts and was very good until the last two games. He went 3-3 with a 2.16 GAA and .917 save percentage.

The Canes had trouble scoring against Shesterkin. That was their biggest bugaboo over the final two games. A couple of years later, they’re hoping the emergence of Jarvis and the addition of Guentzel can make the difference.

Game 1 is set for Sunday, May 5. Faceoff is at 4 EST at Madison Square Garden.

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Chytil decision should wait

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Derek

With the Rangers waiting to see who their next opponent will be in the second round, they can sit back and watch the Islanders and Hurricanes battle it out in Game 5 later tonight.

The Hurricanes need one more victory to advance and set up another showdown with the Rangers. They faced each other in the same round two years ago. The home team won the first six games. But it was the Rangers who prevailed in the deciding game to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

After defeating the Hurricanes in double overtime on Robert Bortuzzo’s goal, the Islanders look to extend the first round series. If they can, Game 6 would be back on Long Island this Thursday.

While that’s still being decided along with the Maple Leafs and Bruins, the Rangers have some time before the second round gets started.

After taking care of the Capitals in four games, they should be satisfied with how the lineup played. All 18 skaters contributed in the first round. For that reason, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette never made any changes. He stuck with the same lines and defense pairs.

The big topic remains when Filip Chytil could return. He’s been skating with the team and traveling. Chytil hasn’t played since last Nov. 2 when he collided with Jesper Fast against Carolina. He suffered a concussion.

When he returned to practice in January, he fell and had another setback. At the time, it looked like his season was over. Instead, the Rangers got good news before the regular season concluded. Chytil returned to practice and was cleared for contact.

He was unavailable to play in the last two games due to the salary cap. It was similar to the Golden Knights holding Mark Stone out until he became eligible for the playoffs. Many refer to what Vegas does as cap circumvention. But it’s within the rules. The Rangers are doing the same thing with Chytil.

There’s been plenty of anticipation for his return to the lineup. As long as they continue to have success, the Rangers should stick with the players that got them here. Unless they struggle early on in the second round, I’d expect Laviolette to stay with the same 12 forwards and 6 defensemen.

There hasn’t been a reason to make changes. That’s why Zac Jones remained the extra defenseman while Erik Gustafsson performed well enough in the first round. It’s also why Matt Rempe stayed on the fourth line over Jonny Brodzinski. Rempe’s energy was effective against the Capitals.

Of course, things could change. If they do, then Chytil will likely return to the lineup. He’d be an upgrade over Alex Wennberg on the third line. Chytil is a more gifted offensive player who’s had success with Kaapo Kakko before. In 2022, they teamed with Alexis Lafreniere to deliver some key goals during the Rangers’ postseason run that year.

Will Cuylle has proven he will play the same North/South game that’s made him a pain in the butt for opponents. His physical style creates space for linemates. If Chytil is back, it makes sense to have him play with Cuylle and Kakko.

Wennberg can slide down to the fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey. Rempe would likely come out in that scenario.

Chytil gives Laviolette another option. He can generate offense due to his skating and ability to keep the puck moving on the forecheck. Getting offense from the third line is a key moving forward. They were an effective line in the last round but only scored one goal. That came courtesy of Kakko, whose one-timer off a Nick Jensen giveaway gave the Rangers a quick start in Game 4.

For now, we’ll have to wait and see what happens with the Islanders and Hurricanes. If that series ends tonight, Game 1 of the second round won’t start until this weekend.

It’ll be interesting to see how Laviolette handles the return of Chytil.

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Blueshirts did what was expected in first round sweep

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Derek

When you’re the number one overall seed, a lot of pressure comes with it. That’s precisely what the Rangers are playing for this spring.

In sweeping the Capitals out of the first round, they did exactly what was expected.  There are no style points for winning in the postseason. Even if the games were ugly due to their underwhelming opponent, the Blueshirts don’t have to apologize to anyone.

When you earn home ice for the entire playoffs, that allows you to take advantage of an inferior opponent in the first round. The Rangers had a huge edge in talent, skill, speed, and depth. They also were the much better team on the power play – going 6 for 16 (37.5 percent). They held the Capitals to 2 for 17 (11.8) and scored two shorthanded goals.

They exposed the Caps’ biggest weakness. Special teams have been a big weapon all season. There’s a reason they ranked third in both the power play and penalty kill. Those are areas they’ll have to continue to excel at in the next round.

With key personnel that features Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck, and Adam Fox on the top unit, the Blueshirts executed well. Even the little used second unit contributed with Alexis Lafreniere and Erik Gustafsson setting up power-play goals in the series. Jack Roslovic had a key PPG in Game 2. He was a factor.

The two-way play of Zibanejad, Trocheck, and Barclay Goodrow played a part in the four-game victory. They were outstanding on the penalty kill with both Zibanejad and Trocheck setting up shorthanded goals from K’Andre Miller and Goodrow. The attention to detail was pivotal in taking care of the Capitals. They harassed Alexander Ovechkin, who was ineffective throughout the first round.

Defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba were part of the superb defense that made life difficult on Ovechkin and the Caps. They found it hard to get setup time and find clean shots up a man. Trouba was a blocked shot machine leading the way with 21 in the first round. Fox distinguished himself defensively with 13 blocks.

Miller had a very good series. He used his size and reach to make key defensive plays. He also played with more edge, getting physically involved against the Caps. It was a strong first round for Miller, who had 10 hits, nine blocks, and five takeaways while averaging 19:53 of ice time.

Gustafsson wasn’t a liability. He had two assists and played better than expected at even strength. Outside of a couple of hiccups, he performed admirably on the third pair with Trouba.

By making the switch late in the regular season, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette strengthened the team defense. Having Miller play with Braden Schneider provides better balance. He seems more comfortable at five-on-five. Trouba played his usual rugged style, adding 17 hits. He had two helpers and finished a plus-4.

Fox and Lindgren were very good in the first round. They continue to be one of the league’s best top pairs. Lindgren provides the nuts and bolts while Fox can supply the strong puck possession that leads to offense.

Fox is playing with more tenacity. He gave it to Tom Wilson following the Trocheck power-play goal that came with 16 seconds left in the second period on Sunday. That caused Wilson to become unhinged and take an undisciplined roughing minor.

Igor Shesterkin was on his game against the Caps. He gave up seven goals on 101 shots to post a 1.75 goals-against-average (GAA) and .931 save percentage. While he wasn’t under constant pressure, the former Vezina winner rose to the occasion when called upon. Shesterkin is the backbone of the Rangers. As he goes, so does the team.

One of the best statistics to come out of the first round victory was that they had 10 different goal scorers and 14 different point getters. Their superior depth was a factor in advancing to the second round.

In Game 1, rookie Matt Rempe set the tone by scoring the first goal of the series. He is more well-known for his crushing hits, fisticuffs, and occasional bad penalties. However, he also brings a key physical element that the Rangers haven’t had.

Rempe’s presence is felt by opponents on the forecheck. He can create havoc on the boards for defensemen. The identity of the fourth line is to get pucks in and finish checks. They were effective against the Caps. It was their play in the first game that resulted in goals from Rempe and Jimmy Vesey. Goodrow was right in the middle of it, picking up two assists.

Although he didn’t score in his debut series, rookie Will Cuylle was a constant on the cycle. He pressured Caps’ players into mistakes and drew penalties. He was quite effective in his role on the third line. Kaapo Kakko finally got rewarded for his hard work with the first goal last night. He took advantage of a Nick Jensen turnover to bury his first of the postseason.

Alex Wennberg is trusted by Laviolette at five-on-five. He isn’t going to wow anyone. But he is a solid player defensively who is capable of keeping plays alive on the wall. Although he had a couple of bad turnovers that Shesterkin bailed him out on, Wennberg usually makes the right decision with the puck. He’ll need to be a factor along with his line moving forward.

Both Zibanejad and Trocheck led the way. Trocheck had three goals and three assists for six points with a 71.2 winning percentage on faceoffs. He was their best player.

Zibanejad was a constant at finding open teammates, pacing the team with six assists. He also had a power-play goal. The best part is he shot the puck more. His line with Kreider and Roslovic improved in the games at Washington. Kreider got both his goals at even strength. Roslovic potted a pair on the power play.

The Rangers didn’t get a dominant series from Panarin. But he had two game-winners, including the series clincher on the power play in the third period on Sunday night.

Panarin continued to be aggressive looking shot. His 11 placed him right behind Zibanejad, who led the team with 12. Most noticeable is that he was more engaged in the battles. His open ice hit on T.J. Oshie in Game 2 was an eye-opener. It’s a different Panarin, who wants to deliver a Stanley Cup to the Blueshirts.

Lafreniere didn’t score a goal in the first round. But he had four assists with three coming on the man-advantage. His one assist during five-on-five was a jarring hit that injured Caps defenseman Vincent Iorio, leading directly to Trocheck finding Panarin for a goal in Game 1. Lafreniere was very noticeable during shifts and physically involved.

The Rangers are in the second round without breaking a sweat. They know they’ll have to be better. That means not as many defensive lapses like they had in Game 4. Stronger puck management.

If it’s the Hurricanes in the Division Final, they excel at five-on-five by aggressively pinching their defense on the forecheck. They’re very good in the neutral zone at forcing turnovers that lead to quick plays in transition.

The Rangers will want to clean up those areas. Carolina has an improved power play since key addition Jake Guentzel joined up. Discipline will be vital.

Game 5 between the Islanders and Hurricanes isn’t until tomorrow night. The closest the Rangers could start the next round is this weekend. We’ll see what happens.

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How Sweep It Is: Rangers finish off the Capitals to advance to Second Round

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Derek

How sweep it is. The Rangers took care of business by defeating the Capitals 4-2 to advance to the second round. They swept the best of seven series.

Now, they’ll await the winner between the Hurricanes and Islanders. The Canes lead the first round series three games to one. They’ll look to close it out on Monday night at home.

For the Rangers, they didn’t make it easy on themselves. In fact, the Capitals played their best game of the series. Facing playoff extinction, they showed plenty of urgency.

Despite falling quickly behind on a Kaapo Kakko goal off a Nick Jensen turnover 57 seconds in, it was the Caps who were quicker to the puck and created some dangerous scoring chances. That included Dylan Strome being turned away by Igor Shesterkin on the following shift.

The Rangers were guilty of some sloppy  turnovers. They played very loose in the first two periods. It led to the Caps forcing Shesterkin into some tough saves. He made a good stop on Sonny Milano. There also were consecutive saves on Tom Wilson that had him shaking his head as he skated back to the bench.

When they got shifts, the fourth line was effective. Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Matt Rempe chipped pucks in and got in on the forecheck. Along with the third line, it was the play of the bottom six that got things done in the first period.

However, the fourth line did get scored on by the Caps with 5:06 left to tie the score. After a long Vesey shot was turned aside by Charlie Lindgren, Dylan Strome got the puck over to Aliaksei Protas. He fed a pinching Martin Fehervary across for a quick shot that beat Shesterkin.

On the goal, Rempe got caught exiting the zone. It was a lesson learned. He’d see no ice time in the third period.

There were plenty of hits throughout the period. The Caps held a slight edge. As expected, they played like their lives depended on it.

Peter Laviolette sent back out the fourth line. They were strong when they had the puck in the offensive zone. On another strong shift, they had the Caps pinned in when Jensen’s leg came together with Adam Fox’s to send him down to the ice in some pain. Jensen went off for tripping.

With only 16 seconds remaining in the first, Vincent Trocheck scored his third goal of the series. Artemi Panarin passed down low for Mika Zibanejad, who moved the puck in the slot for a Trocheck shot that caught Lindgren leaning.

As they celebrated, an animated Wilson exchanged words with Fox, who must’ve gotten under his skin. Wilson took a bad roughing minor to put the Rangers back on the power play.

At the start of the second period, Panarin had a puck go by him at the right point, sending Beck Malenstyn around him for a shorthanded bid. He made a good move, but Shesterkin got his pad on a backhand in tight.

After failing to capitalize on the five-on-four, the Rangers played about as poorly as possible. It was all Caps. They got seven of the first eight shots in the period. Eventually, their aggressiveness led to Hendrix Lapierre scoring his first of the postseason.

Following another lackluster power play due to the Rangers’ penalty kill blanketing Alexander Ovechkin, Lapierre skated right past Chris Kreider in the neutral zone and then got around Ryan Lindgren to beat Shesterkin with over 12 minutes remaining. It was a lazy defensive play by Kreider. He puck watched.

With the game tied, the Caps continued to press the attack. Shesterkin made timely saves on Fehervary and John Carlson. He stopped nine of 10 shots to keep the Rangers even on the scoreboard.

The Caps couldn’t grab the lead even with their best effort. They finished checks and certainly had their opportunities.

Laviolette began to shuffle his lines during the period. One shift saw Zibanejad with Kakko and Will Cuylle. The trio nearly hooked up for a goal. But Zibanejad missed wide in front. Panarin had a shift with Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere. Goodrow came on to take a faceoff and played with Alex Wennberg and Kakko.

Finally, seeing his team show some positive signs, Laviolette went back to his regular combinations. They escaped the period still tied.

In the third period, the Rangers were awake. A Braden Schneider shot led to a Kreider rebound that Lindgren handled.

On the opposite end, Protas got a great chance. But Shesterkin made the big save. Trocheck then was stopped by Lindgren, who gave his team a chance.

Following a Shesterkin save on T.J. Oshie, he got his stick up behind the Rangers’ net on Trocheck. That put them on the power play. This time, they made Oshie pay. It took only 11 seconds for Panarin to put the Rangers ahead.

Fox moved the puck for Zibanejad. He then got it over for a quick Panarin shot that went underneath Lindgren into the net for a 3-2 lead with 16:39 left. It was his second goal of the series and first since Game 1. After being held off the score sheet for the last two games, Panarin had a goal and an assist in the series clincher.

A Jacob Trouba giveaway forced Goodrow to take a hooking penalty to eliminate a scoring chance for Connor McMichael. It was a smart penalty. The Blueshirts shut down the Caps again by giving them nothing. Ovechkin had an attempt blocked by Trouba, who made up for his turnover.

During the series, Ovechkin struggled to get shots through. He was often stifled by K’Andre Miller and Schneider, along with whatever forwards were on. Whether it was Miller, Schneider, or Lindgren and Fox, Ovechkin had a hard time getting anything going. He was far too stationary on the power play. For the first time in his career, he was held without a point in a series.

As beloved as he is, Ovechkin looked like a shadow of the player who’s been a dominant force. He’s still trying to chase down Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. Washington coach Spencer Carberry hardly played him in the first two periods. That’s how ineffective he was.

At 38, he’s signed for another two years through 2026, making an average cap hit of $9.5 million. You have to wonder what Ovechkin has left. He looked old and slow.

Unlike the eyesore that was the second period, the Rangers came to play in the third. They didn’t give up much to the Caps. At one point, they were outshooting them 6-3.

The only adjustment from Laviolette was double shifting Panarin. He decided not to play Rempe in the third. While it was frustrating, it was understandable why. Instead, he played 11 forwards. At times, Goodrow and Wennberg played together. Those are the kind of checking players you win with in close games at this time of year.

You never got the impression that the Caps would score. They didn’t have much offense. Shesterkin was locked in, too.

When Panarin made a move that led to Rasmus Sandin taking him down with 2:42 remaining, it pretty much ended things.

Eventually, Carberry lifted Lindgren with over a minute left in regulation. Lafreniere had a good back check on Oshie. That led to him taking a Trouba outlet and sending the puck over for Jack Roslovic to fire it by a diving Ovechkin into an open net. That made it 4-2 with 51 seconds left.

Acquired from Columbus at the trade deadline, Roslovic had a good series. He finished with two goals and two assists. He had a point in each game.

With time winding down, Shesterkin made one final save on Wilson. After the buzzer, the Rangers contingent cheered.

The traditional handshake between the two rivals was respectful. Even Wilson and Panarin shook hands. Both Lindgren brothers exchanged pleasantries in an emotional moment. Laviolette and Carberry talked. Ovechkin congratulated Shesterkin and Panarin.

One round down. The Rangers know that it’ll get a lot tougher. The Capitals deserve some praise for reaching the playoffs. They weren’t expected to after the deadline. They were no match in the first round.

It’s good that the Rangers ended it quickly. They can rest up and start preparing for the next opponent. Most likely, the Canes. If that happens, it’ll be a big step up. They’ll have to play better.

For now, let’s enjoy this series victory. It was their first sweep since 2007 when they beat the Thrashers in four straight.

If I were to give a series MVP, it would go to Trocheck. He was every bit as good as he was during the season. He led the Rangers in with three goals and added three assists for six points. He dominated on faceoffs and in every key area.

Zibanejad paced the Rangers in scoring with seven points (1-6-7). He had a good series. Let’s see if he can follow it up.

Miller was the best defenseman. He really stepped up while paired with Schneider. He played with more edge and scored a big shorthanded goal. Miller has to continue to assert himself in the playoffs.

Goodrow gets an honorable mention. He played well in the checking role and added offense. That’s why the Rangers paid him. He is very effective in the postseason.

Now, let’s sit back and watch the rest of the first round.

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Experts Chime in on Rempe hit

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Derek

Matt Rempe remains a hot topic in the playoffs. In his first series, the 21-year-old rookie forward has been noticeable for the Rangers against the Capitals.

It’s hard not to see what he brings to the table. A player with size and strength, he plays with energy during his shifts on the fourth line. Teammates appreciate his contributions.

When coach Peter Laviolette thought Rempe was ready for the postseason, he’s been proven correct in his assessment. It was Rempe who scored the first goal of the series when he parked in front to take a Jimmy Vesey feed and beat Charlie Lindgren. Over two minutes later, goals from Artem Panarin and Vesey broke it open to send the Rangers to a 4-1 win in Game 1.

Rempe followed that up with seven hits in seven and a half minutes in the Rangers’ Game 2 victory over the Capitals. He took a penalty that Washington scored on in the third period. They held on for a 4-3 win.

On Friday night, he delivered a heavy hit on Caps defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk with less than eight minutes left in the first period. The refs called him for interference on the play. Judging from his reaction, he didn’t like the call.

The thing about Rempe is that he’s so big that some of his hits are hard to determine if they’re legal or illegal. He plays on the edge due to his tenacious style.

When he was tossed from two games against the Devils, those were legitimate. He served a four-game suspension for elbowing Jonas Siegenthaler. That led to him dropping the gloves against Kurtis MacDermid in the line brawl on Apr. 3. He was accountable for his actions.

Since the suspension, Rempe’s tried to play within the boundaries. He’s officiated differently. That’s led to some marginal calls against him.

Following last night’s 4-1 victory in Game 3, experts chimed in on the interference minor that was called on Rempe. The consensus is that his hit on van Riemsdyk was clean.

Both ESPN’s P.K. Subban and the NHL on TNT panel that includes Paul Bissonnette, Anson Carter, and Wayne Gretzky felt that it was a legal check. Gretzky said that his only concern was that it was a tad late. Van Riemsdyk had just released the puck to a teammate when Rempe crushed him into the boards.

Part of the issue was that van Riemsdyk turned and didn’t see Rempe coming. That put him in a vulnerable position. Rempe finished his check. The end result was that the Caps lost van Riemsdyk for the remainder of the game. They played with five defensemen the rest of the way.

The Rangers picked up Rempe by killing off the penalty. Their penalty kill went a perfect 6 for 6 against the Caps with a shorthanded goal scored by Barclay Goodrow.

At the end of a shift later in the game, Rempe declined to fight Tom Wilson. The Rangers were leading 2-1. It was the right decision. Why give the Caps a chance to get fired up.

In seven shifts, Rempe had four hits over 5:16 of ice time. In three games, he has a goal, six penalty minutes, and 15 hits. He’ll likely be in again for Game 4 tomorrow night.

Considering the Rangers have a 17-2-1 record with him in the lineup, that’s just the way they want it.

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Shesterkin slams the door shut to put Rangers within a game of Second Round

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Derek

The Rangers are one win away from reaching the second round. In stifling the Capitals to take Game 3 by a score of 3-1 at Capital One Arena, they silenced the crowd who rocked the red.

On Sunday night, they’ll go for a series sweep. With the Hurricanes also leading the Islanders three games to none, it could be crucial to eliminate the Caps as soon as possible. A short series would be ideal with a much tougher opponent on the horizon.

It wasn’t the most exciting game. However, the Rangers earned the victory due to special teams and the brilliance of Igor Shesterkin.

The biggest edge they had in the series has played out. They were plus-two on special teams on Friday night. That included a Barclay Goodrow shorthanded goal that held up as the game-winner in the first period. Vincent Trocheck added a power-play goal late in the second period for insurance.

Shesterkin was particularly strong in the third period when his team sat back. He stopped all 14 shots en route to 28 saves to earn the game’s first star. He wasn’t that busy early on. But the Caps made a good push halfway through the second. His best save came when he got over to rob Max Pacioretty of a sure goal.

With Washington applying heavy pressure, Pacioretty was all set up in front for what looked like a goal. Shesterkin made a sprawling pad save and kept the puck out. It was the biggest play of the game.

That key stop more than made up for an uncharacteristic bad goal he allowed to John Carlson. At the time, the Blueshirts were dominating play. Charlie Lindgren made some good saves to keep the game scoreless.

After a shift from the fourth line, the Caps caught the Rangers in a line change. Martin Fehervary moved the puck up for T.J. Oshie. He quickly gained the zone and dropped the puck for a long Carlson wrist shot that Shesterkin whiffed on at 5:34.

But with the Caps’ fans still celebrating the goal, the lead was short-lived. On the following shift, Jack Roslovic provided some good work on the forecheck. He passed the puck for a Mika Zibanejad shot that Chris Kreider tipped in past Lindgren to tie the game only 34 seconds later.

Most notably, the goal came at five-on-five. An area the Zibanejad line has struggled with. They were effective during the first two periods. Although they didn’t combine for many shots, the trio spent some time in the Caps’ zone. Roslovic had a good night due to his skating. He’s got a goal and an assist in the last two games.

Shortly after Kreider’s tying goal, Ryan Lindgren took the first of many bad penalties. He cross-checked Beck Malenstyn from behind. That gave the Caps a power play.

It actually worked in the Rangers’ favor. Jacob Trouba blocked an Alexander Ovechkin shot. That set the wheels in motion for Trocheck and Goodrow to come on a two-on-one rush. With a delayed hooking call on Dylan Strome, Trocheck moved the puck across for Goodrow, who scored a shorthanded goal to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead with 11:52 left.

With the Caps still up a man, Tom Wilson just missed wide on a point blank chance. His one-timer didn’t connect. The Rangers dodged a bullet.

Back at even strength, the physicality picked up. Will Cuylle finished a check on Dylan McIlrath. Ovechkin got one in on K’Andre Miller. Then, Matt Rempe came in and nailed Trevor van Riemsdyk with a heavy hit that sent him flying to the ice. He was called for an interference minor penalty.

Van Riemsdyk had just reversed the puck when Rempe came in with his hit. It wasn’t interference. It could’ve been a different penalty. The question is, did he board or elbow him. He’s a bigger man. That makes it tough for refs to officiate. Van Riemsdyk never saw him coming. He’d exit the game with an upper-body injury.

The Rangers easily killed off the penalty. Truth be told, the Caps are too predictable on the man-advantage. Ovechkin is verh stationary, which makes him easier to defend. The only dangerous player is Wilson, who camps out in front.

Shesterkin made one good save on Strome and turned away a long Ovechkin shot. That was it. The Caps went 0 for 6 on the power play.

With under five minutes left, Wilson was sent off for a soft interference minor on Erik Gustafsson. Lindgren had a save on an Adam Fox try. Kreider missed on a redirection.

Late in the period, Alex Wennberg went off for hooking Pacioretty. Shesterkin stopped Ovechkin. The power play carried over. 

At the start of the second period, they successfully killed off the penalty. Oshie had a tip-in miss wide.

When play returned to full strength, Alexis Lafreniere created a couple of opportunities off hard work. He’s really brought it so far. Of the three on the big line, it’s been Lafreniere who’s been the most noticeable at five-on-five. That’s saying something when Panarin and Trocheck are your wingmen.

With it still a one-goal game, the hitting continued. Nobody passed up an opportunity to finish a check. Even Kaapo Kakko has been delivering hits in this series. Fox has also been more physically engaged. Miller paced the Rangers with six.

The Blueshirts sacrificed their bodies to get the win. They blocked 21 shots. Jacob Trouba led the way with seven. Goodrow added three. He was his feisty self. He’s played a superb series. Goodrow has a goal and two assists along with his usual gritty play at both even strength and on the penalty kill.

A Gustafsson slashing minor on Alexander Alexeyev forced them to kill off another penalty. Due to the diligent work, Shesterkin only had to come up with one big save stopping Connor McMichael.

On a good shift from Kakko, he was denied by a sliding Lindgren on a one-timer. He then drew a tripping minor on Alexeyev to put the Rangers on the power play.

They connected thanks to a smart play by Kreider. With Zibanejad and Trocheck working the left side with Fox, Kreider set a pick to create enough room for Zibanejad to pass in front for a Trocheck power-play goal with 4:38 remaining. He didn’t get an assist. But Kreider created the key insurance.

Miller got heated with Nic Dowd. After drawing the original call for roughing, he went back at Dowd when play halted. It was one of the most animated games Miller’s played. Dowd got the extra two.

The Rangers were unable to take advantage. Panarin couldn’t hit the net, missing twice. He finished the game without a shot in five attempts.

Lafreniere had the best chance on the second unit. But Lindgren stopped him. 

From that point on, it was the Shesterkin show. He made one save on Hendrix Lapierre in the final minute. He was just getting started.

In the third, the Rangers got themselves in trouble by taking bad penalties. First, Goodrow cross-checked Dowd. Shesterkin made a pair of saves to deny Wilson in front. 

The Caps continued to carry the play. Shesterkin then made two more stops on Strome with the sides back at full strength. With them in attack mode, Will Cuylle boarded Fehervary.

Like a broken record, the Blueshirts easily killed off the penalty. They limited the Caps to a single McMichael shot, which a locked in Shesterkin handled.

As the clock wound down, Shesterkin was busy stopping a flurry, including two Ovechkin shots. He also bailed out Wennberg after a giveaway by aggressively coming out to take away a Lapierre chance.

It wasn’t until there were less than five minutes left that the Rangers finally got their first shot of the period. That came from Lafreniere, who tested Lindgren. He then made a stop on Braden Schneider.

Miller drew a hold on Malenstyn, who showed his frustration going to the box. That allowed the Rangers to kill off two minutes – leaving the Caps with very little time to pull Lindgren. He finally went to the bench with 1:17 left.

The Caps hardly threatened. In fact, Shesterkin took a shot at the empty net with time running down. Ovechkin blocked the attempt.

That was it. The Rangers finished it off by killing the remaining seconds.

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Lafreniere a Factor for Rangers in First Two Games

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Derek

Entering the playoffs, most of the focus was on Artemi Panarin for the Rangers. He had a great regular season by achieving new career highs in goals (49), points (120), power-play goals (11), shots (303), and even strength points (75).

In a 4-1 victory over the Capitals to take Game 1 on Sunday, Panarin had a goal and seven shots. It was exactly the start he needed. Game 2 was a different story. The Caps focused on shutting down the Rangers’ best player. He went without a shot in over 20 minutes of ice time.

Instead, Tuesday night was all about Panarin’s linemates. Both Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere had good games. Each made an impact in the Rangers’ 4-3 win over the Caps to take a two games to none series lead.

With the Blueshirts behind on a Connor McMichael tally, Trocheck won a faceoff and got to the front of the net to tip in an Erik Gustafsson shot for his first of the postseason. That tied the score.

On the second half of a power play, Lafreniere dug out a loose puck in the corner and got it over to Trocheck. He then came out and passed across for Mika Zibanejad, who beat Charlie Lindgren to give the Blueshirts the lead.

It was part of another strong game for Lafreniere. At 22, the former 2020 top pick is starting to come into his own. He found great chemistry with Panarin and Trocheck on the top scoring line. His confidence grew thanks in large part to Rangers coach Peter Laviolette staying patient with him.

Lafreniere remained on the Panarin line throughout the season. That allowed him to gain confidence and grow as a player. The end result was setting personal bests in goals (28), assists (29), points (57), shots (217), and even strength points (51).

Even without playing on the top power play unit, he proved he could make an impact. Most of his production came at five-on-five. An area he excels at. That’s due to how hard he competes.

After picking up a helper in Game 1, Lafreniere had two more assists last night. Ironically, they came on the power play. For the season, he totaled six power play points (2-4-6) while being used on the second unit.

With the first unit unable to get going, Laviolette sent out Lafreniere and Gustafsson. It paid dividends. On the Zibanejad power-play goal that made it 2-1, Lafreniere won a battle behind the net and softly moved the puck to Trocheck, who then set up Zibanejad.

It’s that gritty edge Lafreniere plays with that makes him most effective. He’s not afraid to mix it up in the trenches to win battles.

In the second period, with the game tied, Lafreniere again came on in the second half of the man-advantage. He made a good back pass to Gustafsson, who then moved the puck quickly for a Jack Roslovic shot that beat Charlie Lindgren upstairs for the go-ahead goal.

The heads-up play by Lafreniere made it hard for the Caps’ penalty killers to recover. That allowed Gustafsson to set up the Roslovic power-play goal.

It was a huge open ice hit by Lafreniere on Caps defenseman Vincent Iorio that led to Trocheck feeding Panarin for a goal in the first game. Lafreniere separated Iorio from the puck and picked up a key secondary assist on Panarin’s tally that gave the Rangers two goals over a 33-second span to break open a scoreless tie.

The Blueshirts also got a Jimmy Vesey goal to make it 3-0 in just 2:06. They went on to a 4-1 win in Game 1. Lafreniere had an assist, three shots, five attempts, and tied Jacob Trouba for the team lead with five hits. None were bigger than the one that injured Iorio and led to the Rangers scoring a second straight goal.

When he plays with a physical edge, Lafreniere is very effective. His skating improved in his fourth season. So did his ability to score and set up teammates.

One strong characteristic is that Lafreniere has a high battle level. He brings a lot of grit and energy to go with his skills. That’s a unique combo.

If he continues to bring that to this series, Lafreniere will continue to have success in the postseason. They’ll need him to go far.

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