Rangers go two up on Capitals: Dig deep to take Game 2

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Derek

It didn’t come easy. Two days later, the Rangers held off the Capitals in a hard fought game. They dug deep for a 4-3 win to take Game 2 at a loud Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

They now lead the best of seven series two games to none. The next two games shift to DC. The Rangers did their part by holding serve at home. Now, they’ll look to get a game at Washington. Game 3 is Friday night.

Unlike Game 1, this one was mostly about special teams. Aside from the game’s first two goals, the last five were all due to the power play and penalty kill.

The teams had a combined 11 power plays. The Rangers were a little better, going 2 for 6 while getting a big shorthanded goal late in the second period from K’Andre Miller. That proved to be the difference.

Trailing one game to none, the Capitals played with more desperation. They were more aggressive from the outset. Right away, they applied pressure on the Rangers. That led to them getting five of the game’s first seven shots.

Igor Shesterkin was sharp by making key stops on T.J. Oshie, Hendrix Lapierre, and Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin never registered another shot. He has been held in check. The Rangers have done a good job defensively at limiting Ovechkin. He only has one total shot in two games.

Sloppy play finally caught up when the Caps grabbed an early lead. After Oshie went around Miller, a good forecheck forced Ryan Lindgren into a turnover. Connor McMichael converted his first of the postseason to put the Caps up 1-0 at 5:09.

The physicality picked up after the goal. Ovechkin got a hit on Braden Schneider, and Oshie finished a check on Artemi Panarin. Will Cuylle stepped into Dylan McIlrath. Cuylle continued to play well offensively. He makes things happen on the third line.

Following an icing by the Capitals, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette sent out the top line. Vincent Trocheck won the offensive draw. Six seconds later, he tipped in an Erik Gustafsson shot to tie the score with 12:04 left.

It was a gritty goal by an honest player who plays playoff style hockey. Trocheck had a strong game. He had a goal, assist, and dominated on faceoffs by going 17 for 25. That earned him the game’s second star.

On what was a quiet night for Panarin, who was held without a shot, Trocheck provided some offense. He would later set up a power-play goal to put the Rangers ahead.

Halfway through the first period, some heavy Caps’ pressure forced Jacob Trouba to take down Tom Wilson in front. It was a good penalty because it prevented a scoring chance.

On the penalty kill, the aggressiveness of the Rangers created two shorthanded chances. Mika Zibanejad was stopped twice by Charlie Lindgren. They held the Caps without a shot on the power play.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel hooked down Trocheck to put the Rangers up a man. With the top unit unable to get much going, Alexis Lafreniere and Gustafsson came on. Lafreniere got the puck to Trocheck in the left circle. He then found an open Zibanejad on the right side for a shot that beat Lindgren for a power-play goal to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead with 5:32 remaining.

On a shift for the fourth line, Matt Rempe made his presence felt by getting a couple of hits on Ovechkin and John Carlson. He heard it from the crowd, which had more energy than the first game.

Panarin made a great move to draw a holding minor on Oshie. Oshie showed some frustration. He and Panarin were going back and forth during the game.

With the Rangers set up in the Caps’ zone, Chris Kreider took an ill-advised cross-checking minor in front of the net on Trevor van Riemsdyk. TVR helped sell it. Kreider didn’t like it. But it wasn’t a good penalty.

Before the first expired, Miller got a shot on Lindgren that he handled.

The second period saw the Capitals take advantage of a call on Rempe to draw even. During a shift, Rempe went to finish a check but caught Lucas Johansen just enough to go off for roughing. It was a penalty, but it feels like they’re gonna find a way to send Rempe off.

On the man-advantage, Washington was able to tie it up again. Max Pacioretty and Wilson combined to set up Dylan Strome for his first of the series at 4:14.

The next shift, Lafreniere forced Martin Fehervary to take him down behind the Caps’ net. It was another good night for Lafreniere. He also had two assists to help the Rangers’ cause.

It was the Caps who blanketed the Rangers on the power play. They only managed one shot with a Kreider tip-in denied by Lindgren.

With the game still tied, Shesterkin made a couple of key stops. For the game, he finished with 22 saves on 25 shots. However, he faced more traffic, which made some of the stops more difficult.

Another good shift from Trocheck led to him drawing a cross-checking minor on Carlson. Following some Lindgren saves on Zibanejad and Trocheck, Panarin had a shot blocked. Out came the second unit. They made the most of their time.

Lafreniere moved the puck up for Gustafsson. He then passed across for Roslovic, who fired a high rising shot that beat Lindgren short side inside the goalpost. That gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead with 7:34 left.

With over four minutes to go, Gustafsson took a delay of game minor that put the Caps on the power play. Instead of getting momentum from it, they turned the puck over, which led to a shorthanded goal.

On what was an outstanding defensive play, Zibanejad stole the puck in the neutral zone. He then passed it up for Kreider before getting it back. He waited until he found a trailing Miller for an easy shorthanded goal that made it 4-2 with 3:08 left.

The Rangers took the two-goal lead to the locker room. It was far from over.

In the third period, the Caps came hard. Hendrix Lapierre had a tricky tip-in stopped by Shesterkin. On the flip side, Kaapo Kakko had a shot denied by Lindgren. He finished a check on Martin Fehervary. He played a solid game with three shots and three hits.

With Washington continuing to press the attack, Jacob Trouba blocked a pair of shots. Rempe also had one drawing cheers.

The atmosphere at MSG was great. I hadn’t been to a game since Zibanejad’s five-goal performance before the pause four years ago. Our section had plenty of funny chants. Especially for Wes McCauley, who missed some calls. There were other fun-filled things being shouted. I can’t repeat them.

It was nice to see familiar faces again. I missed the environment. It was exactly why I love going. Watching the action from up top, it’s easy to follow the play. You can see things easier. If only McCauley knew what a clean hit was.

On what was an absolute heavy hit by Panarin on Oshie, he flattened him. The Caps forward was on the ice afterward. It drew an immediate response. McMichael went after Panarin, who had to wait for a video review to determine if the hit was a major penalty. I saw it live and knew that he had landed a clean shoulder that caught Oshie in the chest. There was nothing dirty about it.

When they came back quickly from watching the replay, it was obvious that they made a mistake. There was no penalty on the play. McMichael got one for roughing Panarin.

Unlike previous power plays, the Rangers wasted two minutes. The Capitals blocked a couple of shots. They did a good job to kill it off.

After getting checked out by concussion spotters, Oshie was able to return later. That was nice to see.

A Nic Dowd rough on Jimmy Vesey gave the Blueshirts another opportunity to put the game out of reach. Instead, Lindgren made a good stop on Kreider in front. Then, the Rangers made a bad line change that caused a bench minor.

During a four-on-four, Alex Wennberg made a mistake at the Caps’ blue line. His turnover allowed them to gain the Rangers’ zone and get set up. Carlson moved the puck for Lapierre, whose shot was tipped in by Wilson on the power play. That cut it to 4-3 with 8:15 left in the third period.

A strong effort from Cuylle led to a scoring chance that Lindgren swallowed up. It came down to the wire.

The Capitals pulled Lindgren with over two minutes remaining. Vesey took a shot at the empty net and iced the puck. The Rangers iced the puck once more.

Despite Strome controlling a faceoff, most of the Caps’ shots missed, including a Pacioretty backhand from in close.

Shesterkin only had to make one save in the final minute when he stopped Oshie on a tip-in. The Rangers took care of the rest by defending their net well. The puck remained behind the net as the final seconds ticked down.

It wasn’t an easy victory. There are no style points at this time of year. Maybe winning a hard fought one-goal game this early will benefit the Rangers. They had to earn it.

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Rempe Believes he’s Built for Playoffs

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Derek

His initiation to the Stanley Cup Playoffs came early. Out came Matt Rempe for his first shift over a minute into Game 1 for the Rangers.

Immediately, he heard the MSG sellout crowd chant, “Rempe, Rempe!!” Ever since his arrival, the 21-year-old former 2020 sixth round pick has taken the city by storm.

There was the welcome to the NHL moment from well-respected Islanders veteran Matt Martin in the Stadium Series played at Met Life Stadium on Feb. 18. A game the Rangers rallied to win 6-5 in overtime.

After getting ejected in his third game versus the Devils for an illegal check on Nathan Bastian, Rempe had a memorable fourth game in a 2-1 win over the Flyers on Feb. 24. He took on Nicolas Deslauriers early. Then, Rempe scored his first career goal when he had the puck deflect off him for the game-winner.

There was the lesson he got taught by Mathieu Olivier in a loss to the Blue Jackets. He battled veteran Ryan Reaves to a draw against the Maple Leafs.

In a rematch with the Devils, Rempe was given the gate for an elbowing major that concussed Jonas Siegenthaler on Mar. 11. Following serving a four-game suspension that set the stage for what happened on Apr. 3 at MSG, Rempe was ready to take on Kurtis MacDermid in what turned into a line brawl.

In 17 games, he had a goal and assist with a whopping 71 penalty minutes and 50 hits. When Rangers coach Peter Laviolette decided to play him over Jonny Brodzinski for the final two games of the regular season, it was a vote of confidence for Rempe.

Indeed, he made his playoff debut on Sunday afternoon at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The Garden came alive when the cult hero shocked everyone by scoring the first goal of Game 1 against the Capitals.

It came when linemate Barclay Goodrow made a pass to Jimmy Vesey, who quickly sent the puck in front for Rempe to bury for the big goal early in the second period. The reaction in the building told the story.

The Rangers erupted for two more goals to build a 3-0 lead. Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey followed it up to give the Blueshirts three goals in 2:06 to break it open. They took the first game 4-1 over the Caps.

Rempe nearly had another goal later. It was a successful postseason debut. One that the Calgary native will remember. He played in front of his Mom for the first time at The Garden. It was special.

“I think I’m built for the playoffs,” Rempe told reporters at his locker following the victory.

“It’s pretty cool. Today was the first day my Mom was at The Garden ever. It was really special because she had to get a chance and get a goal for us. It was really special for her to be there.

Asked if he had some juice due to his Mom being in the building, he quipped, “I always got juice,” with a grin. “I always got some juice. Obviously, I love her so much. She’s my biggest fan.”

For his first ever postseason game, Rempe had an impact. He finished with a goal, three hits, and some pleasantries exchanged with Dylan McIlrath near the conclusion. They’re familiar with each other from the AHL.

It was quite a day for Rempe. He gets to do it again on Tuesday.

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Fourth line stars in Rangers’ Game 1 win over Capitals

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Derek

For a period, nothing happened. Aside from some penalties taken and power plays killed off, there wasn’t much to get excited about. Unless you like watching paint dry.

After a flat start, the Rangers sprang to life in an inspired second period. In the playoffs, it isn’t always what you expect. That point was proven by the fourth line in a 4-1 Rangers’ victory over the Capitals to take Game 1 of the best of seven series.

It was the line centered by Barclay Goodrow that had the most impact to give the Blueshirts a one game to none series lead on the Caps. The trio of Goodrow (2 assists), Matt Rempe (goal), and Jimmy Vesey (goal and assist) combined for two goals and three assists to highlight the win before 18,006 screaming fans at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon.

If the day started on the wrong foot for Rempe, who was called for a dubious charging minor on his first shift, then he more than made up for it later on. The fan favorite scored his first career postseason goal to get the Rangers started.

On what amounted to a perfect play on the forecheck, Goodrow moved the puck behind the net for Vesey, who made a smart tip pass that Rempe buried past Capitals starter Charlie Lindgren for a 1-0 lead at 4:17. The building went crazy. “Rempe, Rempe, Rempe!!” were the chants.

His goal not only got the crowd into it. But it woke up the team. On the next shift, a big hit by Alexis Lafreniere forced Capitals defenseman Vincent Iorio to cough up the puck. With him down due to landing hard into the boards, Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck combined to find leading scorer Artemi Panarin for a wrist shot that beat Lindgren to the glove side for his first goal of the postseason.

It came only 33 seconds after Rempe’s goal. For Panarin, it was significant. After going without a goal in seven games last year, he got the all-important first goal in the first game of the playoffs. The goal was his first in the postseason since Game 4 against the Lightning in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite being paid close attention to by the Caps, Panarin had a good game. He led all skaters with seven shots and 10 attempts. It’s imperative that he continues to stick with an aggressive mindset this playoffs. That’s what led to him scoring a career best 49 goals. If he plays with confidence, that should bode well.

With his team leading by two, Laviolette went back to the fourth line for another key shift. They delivered again to make it 3-0. On a Goodrow faceoff win in the Caps’ zone back for Vesey, the former Hobey Baker winner let go of a high shot that sailed into the top half of the net at 6:23.

On the scoring play, the Caps weren’t happy with refs Kelly Sutherland and Chris Lee. They felt Rempe interfered with Beck Malenstyn following the draw. However, replays showed that Malenstyn accidentally skated into Rempe’s forearm. It was a case of a smaller man running into a bigger man without any impeding.

They already were fuming over the tough Lafreniere hit that injured Iorio, which resulted in Panarin making it 2-0. That was a close play. But Lafreniere came from the side when he delivered a crushing check that sent Iorio into the boards. Had it been directly from behind, it would’ve been a penalty. Iorio went to the locker room and didn’t return.

By turning it around, the Rangers scored three goals over a 2:06 span. That forced the defensive minded Caps to search for offense. They got it from defenseman Martin Fehervary. On a pass from Tom Wilson, his shot banked in off the skate of Fehervary past Igor Shesterkin to give the Caps some life. He beat Mika Zibanejad on the play to make it 3-1 just 1:08 after Vesey’s goal.

With less than nine minutes left in the second, Lafreniere took a slashing minor on Connor McMichael to put the Caps on the power play. Similar to their first two back in the first period, they were unable to get much accomplished.

The aggressiveness of the Rangers’ third rated penalty kill had something to do with it. They pressured the points and took away time and space. Instead, Zibanejad came on a two-on-one with Kreider for a shorthanded chance. But Kreider was unable to hit the net on a tough Zibanejad pass, missing high and wide.

Special teams were quiet on Sunday. The Rangers went 0 for 2 on the power play. Both came in the first period. They killed off all four Caps’ power plays, including an early one in the third period to maintain a two-goal lead.

Alexander Ovechkin found it tough to get shots through against a stingy penalty killing unit. He had a couple blocked and missed another five attempts wide. That included a couple of dangerous one-timers from his office. He was held without a shot in 19:36, including 7:54 of power-play time.

Although they were successful in killing all four penalties, the Rangers shouldn’t make it a habit. Especially with Ovechkin set up in his wheelhouse.

The Caps are offensively challenged. They want to muck it up as much as possible. That was on full display in a mind-numbing first period that saw the teams combine for 11 shots. The Rangers had seven. None were particularly dangerous. They shot a few into Lindgren’s right catching glove.

Rempe heard his name chanted during his first playoff shift by MSG. He went to finish a check on Malenstyn along the boards but was sent off for charging. It definitely wasn’t a charge as he never left his feet. Maybe it was boarding since it came from behind. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette didn’t like the call.

On an early penalty kill, the Blueshirts blocked three shots. Chris Kreider and Adam Fox got in the path of Ovechkin twice. Fox also blocked a Carlson shot. Eventually, Shesterkin got over to make a save on Carlson later.

Playing his first career playoff game, Will Cuylle was effective on the third line. On one early shift, he drove to the net to draw a holding minor on Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev.

On their first power play of the series, the Rangers couldn’t get what they wanted. However, Zibanejad tested Lindgren from the slot with a wrist shot that he handled. Most of the Caps’ focus was on taking away Panarin. He still managed to get off a shot that was stopped.

A few minutes later, Trocheck was caught for knocking the stick out of Hendrix Lapierre’s hands. However, during a scrum initiated by Adam Fox, they got the retaliation on Max Pacioretty for cross-checking. It probably should’ve still been a Capitals power play. Fox wasn’t called.

Not much materialized during the four-on-four. Tom Wilson finished a check on Braden Schneider. Later, Panarin had another shot stopped by Lindgren, whose right  catching glove was a factor.

Shots were hard to come by. The Caps did a good job playing a structured defensive system. They blocked shots and limited the Rangers’ offense. There was plenty of physicality.

Goodrow and Rempe finished checks. Lafreniere and Jacob Trouba each paced the Rangers with five hits. As a team, the Rangers outhit the Capitals 31-20. That was despite Wilson picking his spots, including catching Zibanejad with a clean shoulder that sent him down during the second period. Nic Dowd had six hits to lead Washington.

Following a Caps’ successive kill, they tested Shesterkin late. His best stop came on Wilson in front. That kept it scoreless through one.

The Rangers’ second period explosion put the Capitals in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. It was exactly what the building needed.

Rempe’s energy electrified The Garden. Nobody could’ve predicted he’d get the first goal. But he made a good read to spin in front to fire home Vesey’s pass for a memorable moment. He joined Matt Gilroy as the only two Rangers to score goals in their first postseason game.

Then, Lafreniere lit up Iorio to force a turnover. It led to him getting the puck over to Trocheck, who had Panarin open for his first of the playoffs.

Rempe was a factor on Vesey’s goal that made it 3-0. He was in the way of Malenstyn on Goodrow’s faceoff win. The incidental collision allowed Vesey to snap home his first of the series over Lindgren.

As much as the Capitals bench didn’t like it, it wasn’t a penalty. Rempe didn’t set an illegal pick. He was just bigger, and Malenstyn ran into him.

They got one back thanks to Wilson firing a shot pass that Fehervary redirected legally off his back skate.

The Caps had opportunities. They didn’t take advantage of them. Shesterkin came up with a big save to deny John Carlson. He was pretty quiet. The Rangers did a good job paying close attention to him. Vesey made a diving block on a Carlson shot that killed the remainder of the second period.

The third period was a defensive clinic. The Rangers held the Caps without a shot for over 12 minutes. It was all about team defense and backchecking. They got in the path to take away shots and continued to make life difficult on their opponent.

When they pressured, the Blueshirts forced Lindgren into some tough stops. That included Rempe making a bid for his second. Lindgren kept the Caps around for a while.

Eventually, Shesterkin was busy making key saves on Aliaksei Protas. He heard the familiar “Igor, Igor!!” chants from the fans.

Following a good defensive play that led to a two-on-one rush with Zibanejad, Kaapo Kakko hit the crossbar with a shot.

With the Caps continuing to take chances down two, that eventually led to a strong defensive shift from the Zibanejad line putting it away. Jack Roslovic made a good read to get the puck over for Zibanejad. He made a great stretch pass for Kreider, who broke in and beat Lindgren with his patented backhand deke for his 41st career postseason goal.

Somewhat predictably, things got a bit noisy. With exactly a minute left, Wilson gave a chop to Shesterkin following a save. Schneider had a quick response, not backing up an inch. Dylan McIlrath also got involved. All three got misconducts.

On the final shift, Laviolette sent out Rempe to keep things under control. When the final buzzer sounded, the Rangers celebrated their first win of this postseason.

Now, it’s onto Game 2 on Tuesday night.

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Inside the First Round: The East

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Derek

On Saturday, April 20, the Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway. There are two games featured on TBS and TNT.

Both are in the Eastern Conference. First up is the Islanders taking on the Hurricanes. That’ll be followed by the Maple Leafs challenging the Bruins.

Sunday will include four more matchups. The Lightning and Panthers renew their rivalry at brunch time. The Capitals and Rangers will follow tomorrow afternoon.

The Western Conference kicks off with two intriguing series. In what could be an exciting battle between two good teams, the Avalanche take on the Jets on Sunday night. Then, the Predators will take on the Canucks late tomorrow night.

The Golden Knights challenge the Stars in a juicy first round matchup that begins on Monday, April 22. Once again, the Kings and Oilers will clash later on Monday night.

How will it all shake out? Some of these series are tough to call.

FIRST ROUND

Eastern Conference

(W1) Lightning vs. (A1) Panthers

Analysis: It’s got the makings of a classic. It won’t be easy for the Panthers, who feature a strong cast. The Lightning enters playing well led by Nikita Kucherov. Matthew Tkachuk will renew acquaintances with Victor Hedman. Can Sam Reinhart duplicate his regular season success? Brayden Point is usually pretty clutch in the spring. Steven Stamkos is lethal on the power play. Aleksander Barkov gives the Panthers an edge at center.A great goalie matchup between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky could determine who wins.

Pick: Panthers in 7

(A3) Maple Leafs vs. (A2) Bruins

Analysis: Anytime Toronto and Boston collide, expect fireworks. The Leafs want to erase past stinging defeats when Patrice Bergeron led the Bruins to a remarkable first round win for the ages. Auston Matthews will be front and center. So will David Pastrnak. You have Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy on the Bruins’ side. There’s Mitch Marner, William Nylander (uncertain), and Morgan Rielly on the Leafs’ side. Is Ilya Samsonov up to the challenge, or will Joseph Woll replace him? The Bruins seem to have the edge with the tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Will the Leafs’ depth make a difference?

Pick: Leafs in 6

(M3) Islanders vs. (M2) Hurricanes

Analysis: It feels like these teams meet often. The Hurricanes usually have the answers due to their superior skating and puck possession. The Islanders will ride the hot hand in Semyon Varlamov. The Canes will go with Frederik Andersen. The pressure is on Carolina after adding Jake Guentzel to a core that includes Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Martin Necas, Teuvo Teravainen, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, and Brady Skjei. The Islanders come in hot thanks to Varlamov, who supplanted Ilya Sorokin as the starter. Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat headline the offense along with Kyle Palmieri, Brock Nelson, and Noah Dobson. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock will be keys along with Alexander Romanov. Can Anders Lee provide support?

Pick: Canes in 6

(W2) Capitals vs. (M1) Rangers

Analysis: I had plenty to say about this matchup in a series preview. Unless the Caps can slow down the Rangers’ offense led by Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafreniere, Adam Fox, power play sniper Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad, it probably won’t last long. Alexander Ovechkin looks to play the underdog role with John Carlson, Tom Wilson, Dylan Strome, T.J. Oshie, and Connor McMichael. Can Charlie Lindgren outplay Igor Shesterkin?

Pick: Rangers in 5

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Series Preview: Rangers battle Capitals in First Round

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Derek

This is it. All the wins and points the Rangers racked up during a record-breaking season come down to the playoffs. They won the President’s Trophy to warn home ice for as long as they play this spring.

The 55 victories and league-leading 114 points are outstanding achievements earned over the 82-game schedule. Now, it’s all about the postseason. It’s been nine years since they had the best record. That was in 2014-15.

The names have changed. Gone are Lundqvist, Staal, Girardi, McDonagh, Stepan, Brassard, Nash, St. Louis, Zuccarello, Hagelin, Hayes, Miller, and Moore. They’ve been replaced by Shesterkin, Panarin, Fox, Lindgren, Miller Trouba, Schneider, Kreider, Zibanejad, Trocheck, Lafreniere, Kakko, Wennberg, Cuylle, Goodrow, and Vesey.

It’s a different cast of Blueshirts. Unlike a decade ago, when that team came off a Stanley Cup Final during a great era, this roster is a mix of experience and youth. Most of the core were part of the run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. Following last year’s disappointment, they showed plenty of mental fortitude under the direction of coach Peter Laviolette. Are they motivated enough to make 2024 one for the memory books?

It’s been 30 years since the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. That is the goal. The greatest leader in NHL history will be keeping a close eye on his former team while giving his insights in the studio on ESPN/ABC. You better believe Mark Messier has a rooting interest in seeing the Rangers win the franchise’s fifth championship.

How will this chapter end? In recent years, they’ve been close. Four Conference Finals and one Stanley Cup Finals. Is this the year they erase another long drought? The city is hoping so. Maybe it can be a trip down the Canyon of Heroes.

First up is the Capitals. A familiar opponent who still features the game’s greatest goalscorer. Alexander Ovechkin is the best finisher that’s ever existed. Look at the era he’s done it in. Pretty soon, he’ll pass Gretzky and own a once thought unbreakable record. He’s been through the playoff grind, leading the Caps to their only Cup. Similar to the past, they’ll have to go through the Great 8. An all-time great should never be underestimated.

Here’s how they match up.

(W2) Washington Capitals vs. (1) New York Rangers

FORWARDS: The Capitals feature Ovechkin (31 goals), Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie, Sonny Milano, Max Pacioretty, and Nic Dowd. With the exception of leading scorer Strome (27-40-67) and Milano, those are the experienced vets who will look to make it a meat and potato style that coach Spencer Carberry prefers. Wilson can cause chaos with his tenacity. Oshie has scored in the clutch before. Pacioretty is the wildcard. He only played in 47 games and had four goals. Dowd is a solid checking forward who gets his nose dirty.

The younger Caps to watch include 18-goal man Connor McMichael, who became a favorite under Carberry. Hendrix Lapierre, Aliaksei Protas, and Beck Malenstyn are part of the next wave.

After trading Anthony Mantha, Washington had only two players score over 20 goals.

The Rangers are led by Artemi Panarin (49 goals, 71 assists, 120 points). In a perfect world, he’d be in the Hart conversation. You could make the case that nobody was more valuable to their team than the Bread Man. His line with Vincent Trocheck (career best 77 points) and Alexis Lafreniere (career high 28 goals) has been the focal point. They’ll need support from Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider (39 goals, including 18 power-play goals). Jack Roslovic is being counted on to provide some offense on the Zibanejad line.

The bottom six has some more grind to it. Alex Wennberg has been a good addition, providing a capable two-way pivot who’s effective on the forecheck with Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko. They’re gonna be a key to the team’s chances. It looks like Laviolette will start Game 1 on Sunday with a checking line of Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Matt Rempe. If Rempe’s in, he must stay disciplined. Wilson will try to get under his skin.

Jonny Brodzinski is a better skater who can add more offense to the Goodrow unit. Depending on how things go, Laviolette will adjust accordingly.

Filip Chytil has been practicing with the team. Nobody knows what his status is. The Rangers have been very quiet about when he could return. Do they want to risk bringing him back too soon? The Caps might be the wrong opponent.

Edge: Rangers

DEFENSEMEN: The Capitals are anchored by John Carlson. A staple for over a decade on the blue line, Carlson remains a consistent force. He averaged nearly 26 minutes a game while pacing the Caps with 52 points (10-42-52). He quarterbacks the power play. Carlson has an accurate shot that must be paid attention to.

Rasmus Sandin has become a key player on the back end. Acquired last year for Erik Gustafsson, he’s counted on to play important minutes. Both Sandin and Nick Jensen practiced in no-contact jerseys earlier this morning. That probably indicates that they should be ready for Game 1.

Martin Fehervary is another young defenseman who the Caps count on. A rugged player who likes to finish checks, he isn’t shy about mixing it up.

Trevor van Riemsdyk is a veteran presence. Alexander Alexeyev is a former 2018 first round pick who played a bit more down the stretch. Depending on the statuses of Jensen and Sandin, Vincent Iorio and Dylan McIlrath are options.

The Rangers are led by Adam Fox. One of the game’s best defensemen, he posted a career best 17 goals to go with 56 assists and 73 points in 72 games. An outstanding player who can impact the game at both even strength and the power play, Fox is the focal point of the blue line. He drives play.

Partner Ryan Lindgren is a warrior who will do anything to win games. If they need a big hit or block, Lindgren provides it. He is crucial to the team’s success.

With captain Jacob Trouba struggling after returning from an injury, Laviolette rearranged his second and third defensive pairs. Trouba will start the series with Gustafsson on the third pair while K’Andre Miller partners with Braden Schneider on the second pair. If Miller and Schneider can carry over their strong play into the postseason, that should bode well.

Trouba likes to throw his weight around. He plays an honest game that hinges on physicality. He paced all Rangers’ defensemen in hits (191) and blocks (183). He must pick his spots. He’ll also need to make good reads in his zone. An area he had issues with.

Gustafsson is a good skating defenseman who can contribute offensively. He’ll look to pinch when the opportunity is there. He also plays on the second power play. If there’s a concern, it’s his penchant for turnovers and blown coverages.

Zac Jones proved he could fill in admirably without the glaring mistakes. If Gustafsson struggles, Jones could replace him.

Edge: Rangers

GOALIES: The Capitals will go with Charlie Lindgren. Once an afterthought, he’s become a good starter. He tied for the league lead with six shutouts.

An unorthodox goalie who catches with the opposite hand, Lindgren makes it tough on shooters. He posted a 2-1 record, 1.35 goals-against-average (GAA), and .955 save percentage in three starts versus the Rangers this season. Lindgren will be facing younger brother Ryan in the series.

Darcy Kuemper is the backup. No stranger to the postseason, he won a Cup with the Avalanche.

The Rangers will go as far as Igor Shesterkin takes them. One of the game’s premier goalies, the 28-year-old had a great second half to finish the season with 36 wins, a 2.58 GAA, .911 save percentage, and four shutouts.

Shesterkin went 2-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .926 save percentage versus the Caps during the season. After the All-Star break, he won 17 games while posting a 2.20 GAA and .929 save percentage. All of his shutouts came during that three month stretch.

Jonathan Quick is the proven backup with a championship pedigree. He had a great season finishing with 18 wins, including passing Ryan Miller to become the all-time winningest American-born netminder in NHL history.

Edge: Rangers

COACHES: The Capitals are coached by Spencer Carberry. He’s done a good job in his first year behind the bench. Despite the Caps subtracting Mantha, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Joel Edmundson, he managed to guide them to the playoffs.

Carberry hasn’t been hesitant to give his younger players key roles. That’s allowed them to grow. It’ll be an interesting matchup against former Capitals coach Peter Laviolette.

Laviolette’s done a tremendous job in his first season behind the Rangers bench. Nobody could’ve predicted that they’d finish first overall with the best record.

A proven coach who won the Cup with the Hurricanes, he’s taken three different teams to the Stanley Cup Finals. Can he do it again in the Big Apple? The pressure will be immense.

Laviolette has pushed all the right buttons so far. He allowed Panarin to be himself and double shifted him when it was necessary. Panarin’s played with more determination. Laviolette likes to use the Goodrow line to match up against opponents’ top scoring lines. It’ll be interesting to see which defensive pair draws the assignment against Ovechkin. Perhaps Miller and Schneider will take turns with Lindgren and Fox.

Edge: Rangers

SPECIAL TEAMS: If there’s a big difference between the Capitals and Rangers, it’s on special teams. The Rangers had the third ranked power play (26.4) while the Caps ranked 18th (20.6).

It’s been the Rangers’ top unit that’s made a difference by scoring huge goals. With the exception of Kreider, who is masterful at tipping in shots, the rest of it is all right-handed. Fox, Panarin, and Zibanejad all move the puck with precision. Trocheck can set up in the slot. Panarin’s been more of a shooter, making it tough on opponents. Zibanejad can load up his one-timer in the left circle.

The Caps still feature Ovechkin in his office. Carlson is at the top. It doesn’t take an expert to figure out who the primary shooters are. Wilson cleans up in front. Oshie had seven of his dozen goals on the power play. Strome can set up and score on it.

The Rangers also placed third on the penalty kill with an 84.5 success rate. They’re aggressive and apply pressure. With dangerous forwards Zibanejad and Kreider, who can quickly transition in the opposite direction, they scored eight shorthanded goals. Zibanejad and Kreider each had a pair to lead the team.

The Capitals were 19th on the penalty kill at 79.0 percent. They scored three shorthanded goals. Wilson led them with two. They’ll need to block a lot of shots and take away the Rangers’ time and space.

Edge: Rangers

INTANGIBLES: The Rangers are a confident team that believes in each other. They had 28 comeback wins, which led the league. Getting off to better starts should be a point of emphasis. They’ll certainly be under the spotlight.

The Capitals defied the odds to make it here. They had a minus-37 goal differential. It didn’t matter. They won when it counted. They’re playing with house money. There’s enough experience in the room for the younger players to lean on.

Edge: Even

Analysis: The Rangers are the faster team with more skill and better depth. They’ll look to exploit that edge by using their speed to attack the Capitals. The Caps want to slow things down. They’ll look to clog the neutral zone and make it tough on the Rangers. It’s a contrast in styles.

The Rangers should get tested at five-on-five. If they want to have success, they’re going to need to be better at scoring goals at full strength. In the playoffs, things tighten up. They’ll have to be patient and make smart decisions with the puck.

Although the Capitals are battle tested, it’s hard to see them being able to keep up.

PREDICTION: Rangers in 5

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Rangers to face Capitals in First Round

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Derek

On Tuesday night, the Rangers learned who their opponent would be in the first round of the playoffs. They’ll face the Capitals. The best of seven series begins on Sunday afternoon at 3 EST at Madison Square Garden.

How the Capitals earned the second wildcard was wild. At the same time they were taking on the Flyers, the Red Wings were battling the Canadiens. Both games hung in the balance late in the third period.

The Flyers needed a win in regulation over the Caps to have any chance. They were tied at one with over three minutes left. While coach John Tortorella pulled Samuel Ersson for a six-on-five, the Red Wings got a tying goal from David Perron with just over three seconds remaining to force overtime in Montreal.

One point was all Detroit needed to eliminate the Flyers from playoff contention. Tortorella didn’t know they scored. He went for it. As the Red Wings were going to overtime with hopes that they could still be alive, T.J. Oshie scored into an empty net to give the Caps a 2-1 lead. His goal stood up as the winner to clinch the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

For the Red Wings, it was bad luck. Tortorella admitted afterward that he didn’t know Perron scored to eliminate the Flyers. He got word following Oshie’s goal. He explained that it was the right time to lift Ersson and go for it. It didn’t work out and helped the Caps qualify for the postseason.

Sometimes, crazy scenarios play out. The NHL got what they wanted. Imagine if the Penguins had played against the Islanders on the same night. Instead, they knew their season was over. On Wednesday night, they lost to the Islanders 5-4 to conclude their year for a second straight playoff miss.

That was despite a heroic performance from Sidney Crosby. He finished with 94 points (42-52-94) at 36, proving again that he’s still one of the game’s best players. Crosby had nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points over the last 13 games. The legend did all he could to try to push the Pens into the postseason. They fell short due to a 6-4 loss to the Bruins.

For the Rangers, it’s probably good that they won’t see Crosby. The Pens played the best down the stretch. They would’ve been a tough out.

Instead, the Blueshirts are preparing for the Caps. They’re an experienced team that features Alexander Ovechkin, John Carlson, Oshie, Tom Wilson, Nic Dowd, and Max Pacioretty. Ovechkin finished the season with 31 goals. He had a strong second half. Of course, the Great 8 always has to be paid attention to. The Rangers will game plan accordingly.

Unlike past Caps’ teams, they have a younger roster. Dylan Strome is the number one center. He had a good season setting a new career high in goals (27) with 40 assists for a total of 67 points.

Connor McMichael is a player to watch. He posted a career best 18 goals and 33 points. McMichael played much more under coach Spencer Carberry than he did when Peter Laviolette coached in DC. That makes for an interesting storyline. Laviolette versus his former team.

The Caps bank on Charlie Lindgren in the net. The older brother of Ryan Lindgren has become a steady goalie for Washington. In his second season as a Capital, Lindgren played in a career high 50 games (48 starts), setting personal bests in wins (25), and shutouts with his six tying for the league lead. He posted a 2.67 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .911 save percentage.

In three starts, he went 2-1 versus the Rangers with a 1.35 GAA and a .955 save percentage. Lindgren is unorthodox because he catches with his right hand. That can make it challenging for opponents. The Rangers must do a good job shooting high blocker and finding other areas to target.

Most of the Caps’ defense is experienced. Carlson anchors it. They rely on vets Nick Jensen and Trevor van Riemsdyk. Martin Fehervary is a key player who plays tough. Rasmus Sandin didn’t play over the last week. Here’s an update on both him and Jensen.

The Caps are more defensive minded under Carberry. They’ll try to squeeze the neutral zone and take away time and space from the much quicker transitioning Rangers. They’ll need to be patient and get behind the Washington defense and on the forecheck. Puck possession is a team strength along with faceoffs.

If the Blueshirts can use their speed and skill to pin the Caps in, that should bode well. They can draw penalties and go on the power play. An area they excel at. But they’ll need to be strong at five-on-five. As important as special teams are, winning the battle at even strength is crucial.

It’s a contrast in styles. The Rangers should have an edge in depth. I’ll have a full preview sometime tomorrow.

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Rangers shut out Senators to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Derek

The Rangers ended the regular season in good fashion. Playing for home ice, they shut out the Senators 4-0 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

By defeating the Senators, the Rangers won a franchise record 55th game to finish with a league-leading 114 points. They won the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time in franchise history.

Rather than focus on that detail, it’s all about one thing. The playoffs. As nice as it is to have the most points, the ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup. The Rangers deserve all the credit for the season they’ve had.

No one saw it coming. It makes it all the sweeter that they accomplished this under coach Peter Laviolette, who should be a Jack Adams candidate. He’s done a great job. Now comes the hard part. Getting through four grueling rounds. That’s where the heart of a champion is measured.

It’s going to be an exciting time at The Garden. Both the Knicks and Rangers are serious contenders to win a championship. The Knicks will host Game 1 on Saturday, Apr. 20. The Rangers will kick off Game 1 on Sunday at 3 PM. If it’s anything like 1994, we’re in for a great summer.

When’s the last time MSG rocked for both the Knicks and Rangers? It’s been a while. This year has a chance to be special.

The Rangers needed a win to wrap up home ice for the postseason. They came out with a purpose. Facing an opponent that came in playing better down the stretch, they were quicker to the puck early on. It translated to a goal from Jack Roslovic less than six minutes in.

Taking advantage of a Shane Pinto neutral zone turnover, Chris Kreider stole the puck and came in two-on-one with Roslovic. He waited for the Ottawa defenseman to go down before passing across for Roslovic, who went top shelf on Joonas Korpisalo for a 1-0 lead.

Speaking of that line, it was a good night for Mika Zibanejad, Kreider, and Roslovic. For a second consecutive game, they were more noticeable at even strength. If there’s one key to a successful postseason, it’s that that line contributes at five-on-five.

The Senators struggled in the first half of the game with turnovers. Some sloppy play led to the Rangers generating quality chances. However, they were stopped in their tracks by Korpisalo. He made a few big saves to keep his team afloat.

On a play in transition, Alexis Lafreniere tested Korpisalo with a tough wrist shot that the Senators goalie made a good stop on. He would later deny an Artemi Panarin one-timer on an extended shift by the Rangers’ top scoring line.

After a strong start, the Blueshirts allowed the Senators to get back into the game. The Sens used their speed to create some opportunities. Igor Shesterkin made timely saves on Thomas Chabot, Parker Kelly, and Claude Giroux.

Following a stretch when the Senators outshot the Rangers 9-2, Jacob Trouba drew a holding minor penalty on Jiri Smejkal. That put them on the power play with less than two minutes left.

The best chance came with Shesterkin on the bench for a six-on-four with 2.8 seconds remaining. Vincent Trocheck won an offensive faceoff back for a Zibanejad shot that rebounded right to Adam Fox. He was stoned by Korpisalo to end the period.

It was a good gamble by Laviolette. There were less than three seconds left. They were on a power play. Trocheck’s been money on faceoffs. It nearly resulted in a goal. Korpisalo came up with a good save.

For a brief stretch in the second period, the Senators remained in control. Although they didn’t get many shots on Shesterkin, they were the aggressor. Erik Brannstrom was stopped by the Rangers goalie.

The Rangers’ first shot of the period came with over 14 minutes remaining. Lafreniere got a great scoring chance. On a steal by Barclay Goodrow, he came in one on one with Korpisalo, who didn’t bite on his move to shut down his low shot.

Another offensive zone penalty by Kaapo Kakko put the Senators on the power play. He slashed Thomas Chabot to give Ottawa an opportunity to tie the score.

Instead, Shesterkin made three saves during it with a pair coming on Pinto. Following that, the Rangers came in the opposite direction to strike for a beautiful shorthanded goal.

On a good defensive play by Zibanejad, he passed the puck out for Kreider. He then moved the puck to Fox, who passed it back for an attacking Kreider, who made a perfect pass in front for a nifty Fox redirection for a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0.

It was Fox’s career best 17th goal. He has been phenomenal over the last two months. The Rangers couldn’t survive without him patrolling the blue line.

Roslovic was stopped by Korpisalo on another strong shift by the Zibanejad line. It was the best they’ve looked in a while.

On an effective shift, Will Cuylle drove hard to the net after testing Korpisalo. He drew an interference minor on Artem Zub. During the five-on-four, Panarin fired just wide from distance. Knowing he needed two goals for 50, the crowd was amped up. Panarin heard “MVP, MVP!!”, chants. They were well-deserved.

Ottawa killed off the penalty to remain down by two. They also paid attention to Matt Rempe. He didn’t play a ton. But he played his usual honest game. At the end of a shift, he gave Jakob Chychrun a shore, which prompted a cross-check from Chychrun in return.

As far as Bokondji Imama, who challenged Rempe early following a hit on Zack MacEwen, nothing materialized. Interestingly, the two had a friendly chat during warm-ups. Rempe finished with 5:48 of ice time. In the third period, he took a tripping minor on Pinto due to his strength. He’s still learning. If he’s in for the playoffs, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it.

With something still on the line in the third, the Rangers erased any doubts. Panarin got number 49 less than five minutes in to make it 3-0. Fox moved the puck over for a Ryan Lindgren shot that Panarin tipped in at 4:34.

Under the previous coach, Panarin didn’t score those kinds of goals. He plays much differently under Laviolette, who doesn’t humiliate players by giving them tongue lashings or calling them out to the press. He treats them the way they should be treated.

It’s led to one of the best seasons in Rangers history. Panarin had a goal and assist to finish with 120 points. The second most behind Jaromir Jagr, whose 123 in 2005-06 should’ve been enough to win the Hart Trophy. Nearly two decades later, it’s Panarin being disrespected by media who gush over other stars with better supporting casts.

Panarin picked up point number 120 in classic fashion. Following an Ottawa turnover, he led an odd man rush. After he waited for a Senators player to go down, the crowd wanted him to go for 50. Instead, he made the unselfish play by passing the puck to Erik Gustafsson, who dished across for an easy Lafreniere finish that made it 4-0 with seven minutes left.

It was a nice reward for a player who’s worked hard. Lafreniere was good all game. He got his 28th goal to give him a career high 57 points. Lafreniere began the season by scoring the first goal. He ended it in a similar fashion. Now, it’s onto bigger and better things.

Shortly after, Rempe moved in to finish his check on Pinto with the crowd alive. But he accidentally got his stick into Pinto’s skates to go off for tripping.

The Senators didn’t score. They didn’t have much luck against Shesterkin, who made 26 saves to get his fourth shutout of the season. He looks ready for the playoffs. They’re gonna need him.

Jimmy Vesey actually earned a penalty shot while shorthanded when Ridly Greig hooked him from behind to deny a scoring chance. Vesey moved in on Korpisalo and missed wide on his attempt.

With under three minutes remaining, Cuylle drove hard to the net in search of a rebound. That caused a reaction from both Chychrun and Tkachuk, who gave him a cross-check. Tkachuk went off for two minutes to set up one final shot for Panarin to try for 50.

There was plenty of excitement. Every time he touched the puck, you could feel the energy. Panarin came close on a wrist shot that Korpisalo got a piece of to keep it out. He also had another attempt go wide. Laviolette left him out for the whole power play. He was exhausted at the end and took a clean hit from Tkachuk before finally going to the bench.

When the buzzer sounded, there were plenty of cheers from an appreciative crowd who saluted their heroes. It was a nice ending to a fantastic regular season.

The next chapter doesn’t begin until Sunday on 4/20. Hopefully, the Rangers can make it a memorable one.

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Laviolette endorses Rempe as a possibility for playoffs

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Derek

Later tonight, the Rangers play their final game of the regular season when Senators visit Madison Square Garden. Faceoff is set for 7:30 PM.

It’s rather simple. A win will wrap up both the Metropolitan Division and the President’s Trophy. The Hurricanes are knocking on the door, trailing by a point for home ice. If the Rangers slip up, the Hurricanes can finish first with a win over the Blue Jackets tomorrow night. By virtue of more regulation wins (44-42), they have the first tiebreaker.

A win of any kind would make that irrelevant. The Rangers can reach 114 points. The Canes can only get to 113. All they have to do is take care of business against the Senators. An opponent that has nothing to lose. They are capable of spoiling the party. Brady Tkachuk usually plays well versus the Rangers. We’ll see what happens.

For a second straight game, coach Peter Laviolette will roll out the same lineup. That means K’Andre Miller remains on the second pair with Braden Schneider. Jacob Trouba will play with Erik Gustafsson on the third pair. As usual, Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox comprise the top pair.

Zac Jones skated with Chad Ruhwedel as the extras in practice. Jones certainly proved himself this season. If Gustafsson has a bad game in the playoffs, Jones should replace him. Laviolette shouldn’t hesitate. Everything becomes so magnified in best of seven series.

The same forwards will also make up the four lines, like Saturday’s win over the Islanders. That means Vincent Trocheck between Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Mika Zibanejad with Chris Kreider and Jack Roslovic. Alex Wennberg centering Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko. Barclay Goodrow between Jimmy Vesey and Matt Rempe.

After taking eight shifts and logging 5:57 of ice time against the Islanders, Rempe will again play over Jonny Brodzinski. When asked about the 21-year-old rookie, Laviolette endorsed him as a possibility for the playoffs.

“To answer your question, yeah. I do think he’s ready for playoff games.”

Laviolette was pleased with how Rempe played in the win over the Islanders. “His game last game was excellent. I know it’s limited ice, and I know his role and responsibility, but they were a positive line. They put the puck behind, they were physical, they got into the offensive zone, pucks were going at the net.”

Rempe will see a familiar face when he’s on the ice. In a move made for tonight’s game, the Senators called up Zack Ostapchuk. They fought before in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

There’s a history. It’ll be interesting to see how Rempe approaches his shifts. He didn’t engage any Islander in the last game. He stuck to playing hockey by finishing checks and getting in on the forecheck.

The potential for a showdown between Ostapchuk and Rempe is a subplot. That’ll depend on Rempe, who understands his role.

Most importantly, the Rangers want to play well and finish the season with a victory that’ll clinch home ice for the postseason.

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A Sad Ending for Coyotes

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Derek

It wasn’t supposed to end this way for the Coyotes. They were hopeful that Arizona would break ground on a new arena that would keep them in the desert.

Instead, the team was informed that they would be relocating to Salt Lake City. On April 17, they’ll play their final game at home against the Oilers at Mullett Arena. It’ll be an emotional night on Wednesday for the players, staff, and the loyal fans who’ve supported them.

Even if it’s on the campus of Arizona State with only 4,600 seats, it’s never easy to say goodbye. When it comes to the NHL, it’s happened enough times. Hartford said goodbye to the Whalers in 1997. They relocated to Carolina.

In 1996, the original Winnipeg Jets played their last game. They moved to Phoenix. That’s how the Coyotes were formed. Some big names wore the cool jerseys that featured the classic Coyotes logo. Jeremy Roenick. Keith Tkachuk. Teppo Numminen. Mike Gartner. Nikolai Khabibulin. Mister Coyote, Shane Doan.

The irony is that Doan’s son, Josh, has shown promise since debuting with the Coyotes. A 2021 second round pick, the former Sun Devil has four goals and four assists for eight points in nine games. In the club’s 3-2 overtime win over Edmonton, he had a goal and an assist. Doan has only known playing hockey in Arizona. It’s sure to be an emotional roller-coaster when the Coyotes play on  Tuesday.

What makes it harder is that most of the players don’t want to relocate. Who can blame them? There’s a personal connection to playing in a city. Even if the arena situation has been less than ideal, the players get used to it. It becomes about the fans who love the team. It isn’t easy.

Who’s to blame for this mess? You can point the finger at the league. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has bent over backward to try to make it work. While he’s an easy target, Bettman was only doing his job. He tried his best to help the Coyotes survive.

Ultimately, the real blame lies with the state. They never were committed to keeping the Coyotes in Arizona. There were arena proposals. But they never had the backing needed to stay.

It’s similar to what the Islanders endured with the Lighthouse project that never had enough support. Fortunately, they survived thanks to a new arena in Elmont. Otherwise, there would be no more Islanders. Imagine that.

The Penguins almost moved to Kansas City. Legend Mario Lemieux helped prevent that from happening. It’s hard to envision no Sidney Crosby as a Penguin. They’ve played at PPG Paints Arena in downtown Pittsburgh since 2010-11. They’ve won two more Stanley Cups since. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been front and center.

Imagine if the Quebec Nordiques had survived. There wouldn’t have been any Colorado Avalanche. Nor Patrick Roy getting traded to the Avalanche to help them win a pair of Cups. It would never have happened if they stayed in Quebec. Especially given the rivalry between the Canadiens and Nordiques.

The Hurricanes have been pretty successful since relocating from Hartford in 1997. The Whalers had some good teams in the 80s. They didn’t have much success in the 90s. Former owner Peter Karmanos wanted a new arena. When he didn’t get it, he moved the franchise to Carolina. It caused Whaler fans to be conflicted when the Hurricanes won the Cup.

Ultimately, the product is about the players who play the game. But owners like Karmanos can make a franchise hated due to empty promises.

For Coyotes fans, it’s their turn to go through heartbreak. Their team remained in Arizona for nearly three decades. Even with the league doing what it could to keep the Coyotes afloat, it wasn’t enough to save them.

How exactly should Yotes fans feel about the statement released by Arizona Coyotes chairman and governor Alex Meruelo? Predictably, it didn’t go over well. There’s a lot of frustration, which is understandable. It isn’t easy when you know the end is coming. 

Imagine how star Clayton Keller feels. He’s only known NHL hockey as an Arizona Coyote. The 25-year-old former 2016 first round pick has become the leader of the rebuilding club. His 33 goals, 40 assists, and 73 points pace the team. He also led them in scoring the past two seasons.

Keller is signed through 2027-28 with a friendly $7.15 million cap hit. With the franchise moving to Salt Lake City, there’s no guarantee that he’ll want to stay. If he leaves, where will that leave the team in Utah?

At the very least, the Coyotes have some good young pieces, including rookie Logan Cooley, Doan, Dylan Guenther, Barrett Hayton, Mattias Maccelli, J.J. Moser, along with prospects Daniil But, Connor Geekie, Michael Hrabal, and Dmitry Simashev.

It’s hard to predict what will happen. One thing is certain. This Wednesday night will be emotional for everyone. Another sad ending.

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Panarin delivers in the clutch for Rangers in comeback win over Islanders

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Derek

They played earlier this afternoon in an ABC exclusive game seen on national TV. The rematch didn’t disappoint. Four days later, it was the Rangers who came out victorious over the Islanders.

It was earned. Artemi Panarin delivered in the clutch to lead the Blueshirts to a come from behind 3-2 win in the shootout over the Islanders at Madison Square Garden.

His game-tying goal came with 4:17 left in regulation. Held in check by a stingy Isles’ defense for most of the day, Panarin took advantage of a Vincent Trocheck faceoff win to fire home his team-leading 48th goal past Ilya Sorokin.

With their crosstown rivals clinging to a one-goal lead, the Rangers were able to draw even late in the third period. The Islanders iced the puck twice. That led to Trocheck winning the key offensive draw back to Panarin, who beat Sorokin from the left circle with a wrist shot to tie the game at two.

The big goal allowed the Rangers to force overtime. During the three-on-three, they had some good puck possession, but never tested Sorokin. A couple of unforced turnovers almost cost them.

Igor Shesterkin denied Mat Barzal after he stole an errant Panarin pass to get the best chance with seven seconds left in overtime. Shesterkin also delivered a huge stop on an Adam Pelech penalty shot with the Rangers trailing the Islanders 2-1 and under seven minutes remaining.

Panarin hooked Pelech from behind to set up the second Islanders’ penalty shot over four days. In a 4-2 loss at UBS Arena on Apr. 9, Barzal was stopped by Shesterkin 1:25 into the game. That’s twice that Shesterkin made key saves on penalty shots, adding another chapter to the historic rivalry.

In the shootout, Shesterkin was better than Sorokin. In the top of the first, Panarin came in and beat Sorokin with a forehand deke to the glove side.

Kyle Palmieri came out for the Islanders. He had Shesterkin beat, but his shot hit the goalpost. In Round 2, Mika Zibanejad tried to go high glove. But Sorokin shrugged it aside. Brock Nelson was foiled by Shesterkin down low.

That left it up to Vincent Trocheck. The new Steven McDonald winner went far side on Sorokin to clinch the victory on home ice. It was a welcome sight following a pair of losses, including a bad one to the Flyers on Thursday.

Unlike that one, the Rangers competed much harder. Coach Peter Laviolette made some lineup changes. Rookie Matt Rempe was in for Jonny Brodzinski. He took his place on the fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.

The biggest move was splitting up the defensive pair of K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba. They’d struggled mightily since Trouba returned on Mar. 28. In fact, they were on for only one goal for and a mind-numbing nine goals against. On Saturday, Miller played with Braden Schneider. Trouba worked with Erik Gustafsson.

It had to happen. With one game left on the schedule with the Senators visiting MSG on Monday, we’ll see how things develop. Zac Jones deserves to play that game to make his case. We’ll see what Laviolette decides.

By winning, the Rangers remained a point up on the Stars for the President’s Trophy. Dallas won their game over Seattle later in the day. Depending on what happens between now and Monday, that’ll determine what happens. The Hurricanes are still in play for the Metropolitan Division. If they win at Chicago tomorrow, that’ll force the Rangers to earn it with another win against Ottawa. Carolina wraps up at Columbus on Tuesday.

The Bruins are playing the Penguins. They can still earn the top seed by running the table and getting help from the Senators. They don’t have as many regulation wins as the Rangers or Hurricanes. So. They have to beat out both on points.

At least for one day, the Blueshirts can be happy with a franchise record 28th comeback win of the season. That resiliency is a big reason for why they sit atop the standings. It’s the character they possess that’s made them successful.

Unlike the no-show the other day, they started better against their biggest rival. In fact, they got the game’s first five shots on Sorokin before the Isles settled in.

In particular, Zibanejad had some good jump early. He was much more noticeable during his line’s five-on-five shifts. He was effective throughout the game. There was even a Jack Roslovic sighting with the former Blue Jacket getting a shot right on Sorokin.

Eventually, the Islanders got their legs moving. Following a good shift by the Nelson line, Bo Horvat got a step on Ryan Lindgren to get off a backhand that Shesterkin stopped. They continued to turn it around. Shesterkin made stops on Palmieri and Casey Cizikas, who had a couple of glorious chances.

After the Isles’ onslaught, Mike Reilly went off for holding Alex Wennberg. The vaunted Rangers top unit did everything but score on their first power play. They had the puck for the entirety. Crisp passing led to some great opportunities. Zibanejad was all set up in the left circle but wasn’t able to elevate a hard Trocheck pass.

The Islanders survived thanks to some shot blocks and a few saves from Sorokin. Late in the period, they’d get a couple of power plays.

After easily killing off a Goodrow holding minor, the Rangers were shorthanded once more due to Kaapo Kakko high-sticking and drawing blood on Robert Bortuzzo. The double minor carried over.

In the second period, Lindgren boarded Barzal to give the Islanders an abbreviated 5-on-3. When it expired, a Nelson giveaway led to Schneider scoring a shorthanded goal to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 4:33.

Chris Kreider moved the puck to Zibanejad, who found Schneider open for a shot in the slot. After Sorokin made one stop, Schneider followed up his own rebound for his fifth goal of the season.

On the next shift, the Islanders thought they tied the score. Hudson Fasching looked like he had the tying goal. However, Laviolette successfully challenged offside. On the replay, Palmieri was just ahead of the play. It was close. He was pushed by Goodrow. That was enough to overturn the goal.

Despite losing out on the goal, the same Islanders line would get one a bit later. Some hustle from Fasching led to Palmieri getting the puck down low for Nelson, who batted his own rebound off a diving Shesterkin and in for his 31st goal. That tied the score with 8:18 remaining.

With the game tied, Rempe finished a check on Bortuzzo to some cheers from the crowd who chanted his name. When he was out for shifts, Rempe had some good battles with Alexander Romanov. They definitely gave it their all. That mostly came when Rempe was behind the Islanders’ net.

In the final minute of the period, the Islanders went ahead. On another strong shift from the Nelson line, Fasching escaped a Schneider check to spin around and center a backhand pass across that Nelson finished to make it 2-1 with less than 28 seconds left.

On the replay, it looked like Palmieri held Miller’s stick. Whether intentional or not, he got away with it. Similar to Goodrow when he shoved Palmieri offside.

The Rangers trailed by one entering the third period. They’ve been a good comeback team in the third. That proved true.

In the first part of the third, they got some shots on Sorokin, who handled them without a problem. He didn’t face much traffic. An area the Rangers will need to do better when the playoffs start next weekend.

Another Lindgren penalty put them shorthanded. It didn’t matter due to the Isles’ power play being so bad. They had no shots.

When play returned to even strength, though, the Islanders created some chances. Shesterkin was sharp. He stopped Barzal and Palmieri. His biggest save of the game came when Panarin was forced to hook Pelech from behind to deny a breakaway. He was awarded a penalty shot.

So. It was the Islanders’ defensive defenseman versus Shesterkin. Pelech moved in methodically before taking his shot that Shesterkin made the crucial stop on with 6:56 remaining.

After a Sorokin save on Roslovic, the Islanders iced the puck. Trocheck came out to take the offensive draw. The Isles again iced the puck. Then, Trocheck beat Horvat on the second faceoff back for a Panarin wrist shot that was in the back of the net quickly. Just like that, the game was tied.

With one game left, Panarin needs two goals to become just the fifth Rangers player to score 50 in a season. The 50-goal club consists of Vic Hadfield (50), Adam Graves (52), Jaromir Jagr (54), and Kreider (52).

In overtime, Panarin had a bad giveaway in the neutral zone with time winding down. Barzal made a strong move to get off a good wrist shot in the left circle that Shesterkin reached back with his glove and snapped up.

That clutch stop led to Panarin and Trocheck sealing the deal in the shootout. It was a very good game between the rivals. The Rangers took the season series 3-1. Unless they cough up first place, they likely won’t see the Islanders in the first round.

The rivalry games between these teams remain pinnacle. Imagine if they played each other six times. Ask the schedule makers to explain that one.

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