Battle Of Hudson covers the Rangers and Devils, who's intense rivalry heated up in the 90's. With fresh faces added, they battle for supremacy in NYC and NJ..
In less than an hour, they’ll drop the puck for a huge Game Three at MSG. The Rangers need to respond.
After losing the first two games at Carolina, it’s imperative that they come out strong and get a win today.
That means finding more offense. Thus far, only Filip Chytil has scored on Antti Raanta on a good pass from Alexis Lafreniere. That goal came early on in Game One.
The game they’re kicking themselves over. They led for nearly 50 minutes until Sebastian Aho tied it with 2:23 remaining. Ian Cole got the overtime winner.
Game Two saw both teams again clamp down defensively. There wasn’t much room for high end players to make plays with the puck. The shots and scoring chances were down.
As it turned out, a four-minute power play proved costly. Failing to even test Raanta due to lousy puck management and sloppy turnovers, the Rangers gave up a crushing shorthanded goal to Brendan Smith. It proved to be the game-winner.
They did have chances to score. Notably Ryan Strome. He couldn’t bank in one from am impossible angle. Then had an open net on a delayed penalty. But shot the puck right into Tony DeAngelo’s backside. He leads the team in shots this postseason, but only has one goal.
With the Hurricanes blanketing Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, Gerard Gallant teased line tweaks for Game Three. As usual, he did it with a smile and laugh.
Gerard Gallant expects no lineup changes tonight, but "read some lines this morning" that he liked 😂 pic.twitter.com/KHUiTCb1pq
What does it mean? Probably that the third line will be broken up in search of more offense from the struggling top six. What could I see Turk possibly coming up with? Lafreniere up with Zibanejad and Kreider. Either Kaapo Kakko or Tyler Motte moved up.
Possible lines
Kreider-Zibanejad-Lafreniere
Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Copp-Chytil-Vatrano
Motte-Rooney-Reaves
Frank Vatrano has cooled off after a good start to the postseason against the Pens. He can still be used in the top nine. He’s a shoot first right wing with speed. I also could see Motte being elevated due to his combination of speed and grit. He’s created some chances.
The game will be televised on ESPN at 3:30 PM. Roughly two hours after Panthers and Lightning which began at 1:30 on TNT. Why would the schedule makers do that? I have asked it. So has JD of our chat thread.
Why did the #NHL put this game and Ranger game only 2 hours apart?
He’s been on a roll lately. So, he makes the blog for a third consecutive time. Call it a hat trick! Exactly what we’re all hoping for this afternoon. Offense!
Whatever Gallant decides, it’s up to the players to raise their level a couple of notches. Ditto for the power play. I believe four goals gets it done. We’ll see if they have the resolve to make it a series.
In what can best be described as a very frustrating game to watch, the Rangers were shutout by the Hurricanes 2-0 in Game Two at PNC Arena. They now trail the second round series two games to none.
How bad was it? Old friend Brendan Smith scored the backbreaking shorthanded game-winner with 4:06 left in the second period. A hardworking, high character player they let go to Rangers South Carolina has been more of a factor so far than Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox.
The fact that Smith has now scored and set up the big goals in the first two games is mind numbing. But that’s what the Stanley Cup Playoffs are all about. It’s where unsung heroes rise up. It was Ian Cole in Game One. Then Smith tonight.
While ESPN also correctly pointed out Smith’s no-nonsense second intermission interview when the Canes were getting shutout in Game One, it doesn’t explain what’s happened to key Rangers’ stars Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad and Fox. They’ve been blanketed so far by the very system Hurricanes’ coach Rod Brind’Amour likes to play.
The quartet have really struggled to get going. They combined for 5 total shots and 14 attempts for the entire game. Even more alarming, they don’t have a single point. Kreider’s been held to one shot while Panarin’s been blanketed by the Canes’ team defense. Zibanejad and Fox each have four shots.
If the top guns don’t figure it out by Sunday at 3:30 PM, then the chances of a comeback from an 0-2 deficit are slim. They must produce starting in Game Three when the series shifts to MSG.
Gerard Gallant tried tweaking his lines after they fell behind. In the third period, he moved Alexis Lafreniere up to the Panarin line with Ryan Strome, who had the best looks. Unfortunately, one was too tough an angle and the other was shot right into the backside of Tony DeAngelo on a delayed penalty. Bad luck.
Gallant would mix up some more combos to try to spark his offensively inept team. Andrew Copp was shifted to the third line where he centered Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. The reason being that Chytil isn’t winning face-offs. If he had Barclay Goodrow available for this round, you better believe Turk would’ve moved him up.
The Hurricanes controlled the face-offs, going 35-for-62. Jordan Staal dominated his match-up with Zibanejad. Overall, the Canes’ captain went 14-for-21. Zibanejad finished 10-for-22. He improved after a bad start. The issue is not having the puck enough to create offense.
With the Hurricanes storming Panarin with a swarming defense, he’s had little time to make plays with the puck. Making matters worse, it was his turnover on a crucial four-minute power play that Lafreniere drew where Teuvo Teravainen pushed the puck out for Sebastian Aho, who set-up Smith for a shorthanded goal.
That cannot happen. It’s very obvious that Panarin isn’t quite himself. But while it’s easy to critique him for his inconsistency, they aren’t even in this round. He got them here with his clutch power play goal to eliminate the Penguins in the first round. If he’s compromised, then the Bread Man is playing through it.
What’s less explainable is the quiet first two games Kreider’s had. The key to the offense all season highlighted by his 52 goal year and franchise record 26 power play goals, he really has to step it up. Ditto for sidekick Zibanejad, who was the only forward of the top guns to look engaged.
It’s true that the Canes have a lot to do with the offensive struggles. They play like a five-man unit. Brind’Amour is able to roll four lines and three defensive pairs while dictating the match-ups. It’s gone in their favor so far.
At the start, I said this about what the game boiled down to.
This game is all about our top guns.
Kreider-Zibanejad-Vatrano Panarin-Strome-Copp Fox and Trouba
Boy. Was it not their night. For a second straight game, each coach started their fourth lines. Advantage Hurricanes. That checking line of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Steven Lorentz and Marty Necas is more capable of contributing than Kevin Rooney, Tyler Motte and Ryan Reaves.
The Kotkaniemi line got the puck in deep and were able to create a couple of early chances. A diving block by Motte prevented a shot. Then Jacob Trouba continued to be a turnover machine. His failure to get the puck out led to an early Lorentz tester on Igor Shesterkin.
Following that sequence, you had the Panarin line get their best opportunity early on. On a rebound down low, Strome was unable to steer in a loose puck with Antti Raanta out of position. He had no angle and sent it wide. He has no luck.
Shesterkin then stopped a long Smith point shot off a good cycle from the Vincent Trocheck line. The Canes went back to their normal lineup. Trocheck was between Teravainen and Max Domi. Aho centered Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis.
The one aspect this game differed was the intensity. There were a lot more physical battles and scrums. Unlike Game One where only two penalties were called, you had some animosity between the teams.
Following a Cole shot block on Rooney, he and Smith got into it to lead to matching roughing minors. On the four-on-four, a Panarin wide backhand was nearly put in by Ryan Lindgren, who just missed around the net. His rebound went into Raanta for an awkward save.
When the four-on-four expired, there were more early fireworks. After he came out of the box, Smith finished a check on Filip Chytil along the boards. He responded with a cross-check. Smith immediately went back with a slash.
That meant more four-on-four. Shortly following a Kreider deflection going wide, Aho high-sticked Trouba to give the Rangers a four-on-three power play. It was abominable. Nobody wanted to shoot the puck between Panarin, Fox and Zibanejad.
This was a harbinger of things to come. Back to full strength, Smith leveled Chytil again with a good hit. He then was on the receiving end from Trouba, who caught him against the boards. Good honest playoff hockey.
After that, the Chytil line was able to get some sustained pressure. But Lafreniere had his shot blocked by Brady Skjei. It was a theme. The Hurricanes blocked 11 shots in the first periods. The Rangers had 20 attempts, but only got five shots through.
As the period went on, it was the Canes who picked it up. But not before Strome had a glorious scoring chance. On just a great feed from Copp that resulted in a DeAngelo slashing minor, Strome had time. But his shot went right into a lucky DeAngelo to get a whistle. He was in the right spot at the right time.
Then came another mindless five-on-four. It was hideous. A Panarin giveaway allowed Aho to come two-on-one with Teravainen. But Teravainen’s shot rang off the goalpost. The over reliance on the top unit is hurting so far.
Gallant stuck the little used second unit out late in the power play. They were able to set up a Trouba point shot that Raanta covered. Then Lafreniere exchanged pleasantries during another scrum. He sure has edge to his game.
On a shift at even strength, the third line had some puck possession in the Canes’ end. With Lafreniere battling Cole for position in front, Kaapo Kakko’s centering pass missed connection. There wasn’t a lot of operating room.
After going to the locker room again due to taking a puck to his face that bloodied him, Lindgren returned with 4:34 left. He’s a warrior. He’s been their best defenseman when he’s played in these playoffs.
As time expired, it was scoreless. By the conclusion, you could feel the Hurricanes coming on. They overtook the Blueshirts in shots and were dominant on face-offs.
Notes: Gallant had Zibanejad take the face-off over Chytil. Kakko came out later.
Shesterkin stops Jarvis with 34.2 left.
Canes: 11 blocks Canes 8-5 in shots Rangers 20-18 in attempts Face-offs: Canes 15-7
In the second period, there continued to be tough battles. That’s how Carolina plays. It’s what makes them such a hard opponent to play at five-on-five.
After he lost a battle behind his net, Trouba let Staal come out and center a pass for a Jesper Fast shot that Shesterkin handled. That line is very responsible defensively and hard on the puck.
Following losing the puck, Copp took it back to create an opportunity for Panarin up top. Rather than shoot or do something with it, he waited too long and turned the puck over.
With the Hurricanes’ puck pressure intensifying, Trouba took a tough hit from Skjei. He got brutalized. It seems like part of the Carolina strategy is to finish checks on Trouba and force him into mistakes. It’s worked so far.
As the Rangers approached 10 minutes without one shot attempt, it really felt like whoever scored first would prevail. To their credit, they didn’t give up a lot defensively. The Canes aren’t as good offensively. But they make it tough.
After Raanta finally had to make a save on a Chytil shot to take the shades off from his beach chair, Kreider took a bad penalty when he slashed Jaccob Slavin.
The Carolina power play didn’t do much. Off a good DeAngelo cross-ice pass, Teravainen had his shot from the right circle stopped by Shesterkin. Following a Jarvis shot that deflected wide, Shesterkin made a great glove save to deny DeAngelo up top. He also kicked out another DeAngelo one-timer late in the penalty kill.
Following another lost draw in the defensive zone, Brett Pesce had two wide open looks. He skated in and missed both shots. These were good chances. But fortunately, he didn’t hit the net.
After a Rooney face-off win which was only the team’s 10th of 33 at that point, the fourth line had a strong forechecking shift. But Motte missed on two shots after utilizing his speed. I think he should be moved up in the rotation. We’ll see. He plays the tenacious game they need to have.
On what was his best opportunity, Zibanejad took a good pass from Frank Vatrano and was denied by Raanta. That was the best save he made at that point.
During a better shift from the second line where they had the puck deep in the Canes’ zone, Lafreniere came on and drew a high-stick on Skjei with under seven minutes remaining. Following a video review, they kept it as a double minor to protests from Brind’Amour. Lafreniere might have been cut on the nose. It was hard to tell.
Rather than take advantage of a critical five-on-four situation, the Rangers managed to turn it into a circus. With both Kreider and Panarin playing around with the puck, the top unit got zero shots in the first half. You could feel something bad coming.
Sure enough, a very bad turnover by Panarin allowed Aho and Smith to come in two-on-one. With Fox back, he was able to slide a perfect pass between Fox’s skates for a Smith finish for a shorthanded goal with 4:06 left. Brutal. There’s no other way to describe it.
Then with time still left on the Skjei penalty, Gallant stuck out Rooney with Kakko and Motte. Why? They were on the power play. He tries a totally different combo at a critical point.
Rooney foolishly boarded Cole for a bad penalty. That ended the five-on-four. Then, Kreider took another undisciplined slashing minor to hand the Canes a five-on-three with 2:30 left.
Following a timeout by Brind’Amour, his team couldn’t cash in. Lindgren blocked a Teravainen shot. They were able to escape still trailing by one. That was despite some really brutal play.
I agree with JD’s assessment. It wasn’t so much that they weren’t trying. But rather how they played. They didn’t work smart. You have to at this stage. It’s the second round. It gets harder.
Even still down by a goal, it felt over. That’s the sense I got once Smith scored. 1-nothing feels like 4-nothing versus the Hurricanes. They literally smother you in the neutral zone and collapse defensively.
In the third, Copp was with Chytil and Kakko. Primarily to take face-offs because Chytil isn’t winning any. It was also to see if Lafreniere could provide a spark for Panarin and Strome.
Personally, I would’ve broken up the Zibanejad line. Lafreniere has more chemistry with him than Panarin. He’s also played more with Zibanejad and Kreider. If Gallant wasn’t gonna do that, maybe he should’ve loaded up by moving Panarin up on the big line.
Although they had eight shots in the period, they never seriously threatened Raanta. He made the saves.
With Shesterkin off for a six-on-five, the best opportunities came on one sequence. A Fox point shot was denied by Raanta. The rebound came to Lafreniere, whose shot was also stopped by Raanta with under two and a half minutes left.
That was it. From there, the Canes locked it down. With it basically over, Panarin decided to give away one more puck for an Aho gimme into an open net with two seconds to spare. It was the perfect end to a miserable game.
I got nothing else to add. They can say whatever they want. Now, it’s about figuring out a way to be better on home ice starting on Sunday.
Win Game Three. Make it a series. In order to do that, their best players have to wake up. They also must chip pucks behind the aggressive Carolina defensemen and get in on the forecheck. Create counters. Finish checks. Make it harder on them.
I’ve seen quite a few fans blast Kreider. ‘He’s not captain material. He’s disappeared.’ Horse shit! The Canes are paid to play hockey too. They handled business and protected home ice.
Now, it’s time for the Rangers to. Short memories. Game plan differently. Get the crowd into it early tomorrow afternoon. Score early. Get bodies in front of Raanta. Make him uncomfortable.
They can play much better. Even if they held the Canes down in the first two games, one goal in over six periods won’t get it done. They must show the urgency and resiliency that we saw last round.
This team has character. Now, we find out if they can respond. It’s not over. Don’t count them out.
THREE STARS 🌟 ✨️ 🤩
3rd 🌟 🤩 ⭐️ Antti Raanta Hurricanes 21 saves for shutout, 1 GA on 49 shots in series
2nd 🌟 ⭐️ Sebastian Aho Hurricanes primary assist on shorthanded goal, empty net goal (4), 9-for-13 on draws, +2 in 18:51
1st ⭐️ Brendan Smith Hurricanes scored the shorthanded game-winner at 15:54 of 2nd, 2 SOG, 5 attempts, 2 hits, +1 in 13:35
Antti Raanta talks about his time with the Rangers and learning under Henrik Lundqvist:
"He was always working, always trying to get better. [Benoit Allaire] is one of the best in the league as a goalie coach…now you see Shesterkin, he fights 'til the end" pic.twitter.com/eDncpDiOQ1
With the Rangers busier this postseason, I haven’t had as much time to devote to other series. Even though I’ve caught most games, it isn’t easy to write about them when I’m preoccupied with the Blueshirts.
Tonight provided a moment of these Stanley Cup Playoffs that could prove large. It was Game Two of the Atlantic Division Final between the Lightning and Panthers. It didn’t disappoint.
Coming off a 4-1 home defeat to the Bolts in Game One, the Panthers needed a better effort to tie the best-of-seven second round series. They definitely brought a lot more to the table.
Even without Mr. Overtime, Brayden Point, the Lightning are proving to be a difficult roadblock for the Panthers. They held the edge in play, but were only able to score once on Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The best goalie of this era turned in another stellar showing by making 35 saves on 36 shots. He backstopped the Bolts to a stunning 2-1 victory in Game Two. Over the last three games dating back to the Game Seven elimination of the Maple Leafs, Vasilevskiy has allowed only three goals on the last 101 shots.
Even a lethal offense such as the Cats are being clawed by the 27-year old ace netminder. However, he’s had help from teammates. They went above and beyond by sacrificing their bodies to block 24 shots to keep the Panthers’ offense at bay.
A Corey Perry power play goal on a great deflection of a Steven Stamkos shot had held up for the game’s first 38 minutes as the only goal. But Eetu Luostarinen’s long wrist shot surprised Vasilevskiy to trickle past him with 1:53 left to tie the game.
The tying goal was made possible by Florida defenseman Gustav Forsling, who after setting up the Luostarinen shot, drove the net to distract Vasilevskiy just enough to give the Panthers momentum. Buoyed by the crowd coming to life, they drew a tripping minor on Nikita Kucherov with 47 seconds to go in the period.
There were two key saves made by each goalie before the conclusion of the second. First, Sergei Bobrovsky denied Nick Paul’s shorthanded bid. Then Vasilevskiy got across to rob Anthony Duclair on a one-timer with nine seconds left. He also made a tricky stop on a Sam Reinhart deflection before time expired.
Throughout the intensely fought second game, there was plenty of physicality dished out from both interstate Florida rivals. The hitting included Erik Cernak taking a very tough check from Radko Gudas into the Tampa bench. He’d stay in the game.
The Panthers out-hit the Lightning 52-35. Gudas paced them with seven while Ben Chiarot had six. Only two skaters didn’t register a hit. The hard-nosed Cernak paced the Lightning with five hits. Three other players had four including the gritty Anthony Cirelli.
That’s the kind of game it was. It had that classic in your face playoff hockey we’ve grown accustomed to. A lot of hard fought battles which typified last year’s Battle Of Florida. A first round series won by the Lightning, who went on to repeat.
While the Panthers peppered Vasilevskiy with shots, they also had many that never reached him. In a determined defensive performance, the championship caliber Bolts blocked 24 shots. Fourteen of eighteen skaters hit the score sheet led by Cernak’s four blocks.
At one point, Stamkos went to the locker room twice for repairs due to leading by example. After a diving block, Brandon Hagel limped off. But of course he would return. Hockey player. What Cernak, Stamkos and Hagel showed is why the Lightning lead the series two games to none.
While both Vasilevskiy and Russian counterpart Bobrovsky made big saves at each end during a hard fought third period that saw the Panthers hold a 10-8 edge in shots, it was a stunning play by Kucherov that left the building in a state of shock.
With the game still tied and looking destined for overtime, Ondrej Palat made a hustle play to keep the puck in at the Panthers’ blue line. He was able to get it deep for Kucherov, who was parked behind the Florida net. Ever a dangerous player, he made an unbelievable play to break Panther hearts.
With Forsling behind the net committed to occupying Kucherov, partner Mackenzie Weegar made a cardinal mistake. Instead of staying home in front of the net, he chased Kucherov. That allowed the clutch Kucherov to make an astonishing backhand centering feed for a Ross Colton finish with 3.8 seconds left in regulation.
Talk about a dagger to the Panthers who played an exceptional game, defensive breakdown that leads to a Ross Colton goal, nice feed from Kucherov #GoBolts#TimeToHuntpic.twitter.com/F0f9ZSCmJ9
— Lightning Audio Network (@BoltsRadio) May 20, 2022
It was insane. That quickly, a great game between two bitter rivals that looked ready to go to overtime, was over. Oh. They put time back on after the scoreboard read 0.9 seconds when Colton celebrated his team-leading fifth of the postseason. But for all intents and purposes. Game. Set. Match.
Colton on the Kucherov assist on the game winning goal: “I couldn't believe that he got it on my stick. I think when we went in the corner I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ like 10 times because I honestly couldn't believe that he put it on my stick”
Checkmate. Lightning. Or rather Kucherov. One of the game’s biggest stars, the electrifying 28-year old former Hart and Art Ross winner is as clutch a player as there is. A look at his career highlights why the second round gem stolen at number 58 in the 2011 NHL Draft, proves why he must be paid close attention to.
For his eight-year career, Kucherov is averaging over a point-per-game with 616 points (246-370-616) in 562 games. A dominant five-on-five player who’s also lethal on the power play, he’s a plus-129.
Even better, Kucherov produces when it matters most. Nicknamed Kuch by coach Jon Cooper and teammates, he steps it up in the postseason.
Ross Colton: “Once it got rimmed down I saw it on (Kucherov’s) stick and my eyes lit up a little bit because I knew that it was coming to me.”
As evidenced by the brilliant pass for the Colton game-winner last night to put the Panthers in an 0-2 hole with the next two games at Tampa Bay this weekend, just call him Playoff Kuch. The primary helper padded his career playoff point total to 138 (47-91-138) over 122 games.
Playoff Kuch equals Klutch. He can elevate his game to another level when the stakes are raised. Kucherov led all scorers the last two postseasons. Both resulted in Stanley Cups for the Lightning.
After putting up 34 points (7-27-34) in the playoff bubble to help the Lightning win their second Cup, Kucherov was a beast in the repeat with 32 points (8-24-32) last year. He paced everyone in assists and points for a second consecutive postseason.
What’s Playoff Kuch doing this Spring? So far, he has three goals with eight assists for 11 points. That leads the Lightning in scoring. That’s after going 25-44-69 in only 47 contests over an injury riddled ’21-22.
Insane production for a remarkable player. The thing about Kucherov is he prefers to set up shop in the right circle and find open teammates for goals. Rather than shoot when he possesses a howitzer (beat Bobrovsky in Game One), he’s an unselfish player by nature.
The Lightning have burned the Panthers for four power play goals in the first two games. Kucherov has two power play points. In the seven-game first round win over the Leafs, he had five power play points. None bigger than his five-on-three goal that forced overtime in Game Six.
That was the same elimination game where Toronto controlled most of the play in sudden death. But Point won it on a rebound to force Game Seven which Tampa took 2-1 on Nick Paul’s pair to again oust the Leafs in the first round.
If there’s been a noticeable difference so far, it’s the special teams. While the Lightning have struck for four power play goals (4-for-9), the Panthers are 0-for-7. They have yet to score a power play goal in these playoffs. A shocking change from the regular season when they tied for fifth at 24.4 percent.
The question for the Panthers is can they win Game Three on the road to get back in the series. Don’t forget last year’s series saw the road team take the first three games before the Lightning won Game Four and Six to close it out.
They can’t come back unless Aleksander Barkov wakes up. He’s without a point over the first two games. The fact that the Panthers only have scored twice is remarkable.
It’s a credit to how the Lightning are playing. They’re keeping the explosive Cats from opening it up. The defense from stalwarts Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh are huge keys.
It’s a team effort with Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev continuing to do the heavy lifting with Cooper opting to play seven D including Zach Bogosian, Cal Foote and Jan Ruuta without Point.
When you have the game’s best goalie getting hot at the right time, it makes it even harder on opponents. All the pressure is on the Panthers after winning the President’s Trophy. They finally won their first playoff series since ’96.
It’s not over yet. The experienced Lightning know that. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the series shifts to Amalie Arena on Saturday.
One thing is certain. Playoff Kuch has been activated.
Antti Raanta makes a stop on Kaapo Kakko with Alexis Lafreniere in front. The Rangers lost a tough one to the Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime to drop Game One. Photo by Carolina Hurricanes
This one was tough. In the first game of the second round series, the Rangers dropped Game One to the Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime. Ian Cole scored the winner at 3:12 to help the Canes complete the comeback.
They lead the series one game to none. Carolina prevailed due to Antti Raanta. The former Ranger made 27 saves on 28 shots to earn the game’s Second Star as selected by the media. He stopped 22 of 23 shots in the first two periods.
Without that, we’re talking about a Rangers’ win instead. They certainly played well enough in a tough atmosphere before 18,705 screaming fans at PNC Arena.
Truth be told, they did a lot of things well. It was mostly Blueshirts during the first two periods. They had the better of the play out-shooting the Canes 23-14 and out-chancing them.
However, only Filip Chytil was able to beat Raanta. His second goal of the postseason came 7:07 into the game. It came off a good rush from Alexis Lafreniere, who along with Chytil were their best players. He made a bullet pass across for a sweet Chytil finish to cash in off a Tony DeAngelo turnover.
Their line mate Kaapo Kakko was good too. He looked more confident with the puck, making plays in the offensive zone. He nearly had Chytil for a 2-0 lead. But Raanta made the biggest save of the game when he got across and made a great left pad save.
Kaako also could’ve shot on that chance. However, it would be two missed opportunities in the third period that he’ll really be kicking himself. On one, he was led in by a good Lafreniere pass. But he lost his balance as he made his move on Raanta.
The second was even crazier. On a broken play, a loose puck came right to him with a wide open net staring at him. But Kakko missed the great scoring chance wide right through the crease. That would come back to haunt the Rangers.
Eventually, after applying all kinds of pressure in a much more lopsided third period, the Hurricanes were able to get it tied when Sebastian Aho put in his own rebound after a great save by Igor Shesterkin with only 2:23 left.
On the play, Brady Skjei made a good play to get the puck up for Teuvo Teravainen. He then made a pass for Seth Jarvis, who found an open Aho cutting in behind for a point blank chance. His initial shot was denied by Shesterkin. But he flipped in the rebound to force overtime.
The guilty Blueshirts were K’Andre Miller, Jacob Trouba, Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. Both Zibanejad and Panarin were spectators while Miller was off to the side leaving Trouba to defend Aho. He got dusted by the leading Canes scorer.
For as much as they struggled with a relentless Hurricanes attack in a conservative third where Rod Brind’Amour shook up his top two lines, the Rangers nearly survived the onslaught.
At one point, the Canes led in shots 7-0 with only Zibanejad having an attempt that missed wide 38 seconds into the period. But the Rangers settled down and played better defensive hockey in the last half of the third.
In fact, they got four straight shots before the final push from the Hurricanes. That included the two Kakko sequences where he couldn’t score on two glorious chances. If he buries one, the Rangers are likely up in the series.
However, that doesn’t explain the lackluster third period. Neither does it excuse Zibanejad and Chris Kreider for their disappearing acts. The heroes of the first round combined for three total shots and four attempts. Neither got going.
Panarin was more noticeable. But didn’t factor in offensively. He finished with two shots in four attempts. Andrew Copp and Ryan Strome were also kept quiet by the Canes. They had three combined shots. Hardly enough to be successful.
Of the top six, only Frank Vatrano looked dangerous registering three shots and five attempts. The top two lines must be much better if they’re to gain a split on Friday night in Game Two.
The third line can’t be their most consistent to win this series. The trio of Lafreniere, Chytil and Kakko had superb games. They were effective offensively at creating chances while playing solid defensive hockey.
Unfortunately, both Kakko and Lafreniere were caught on for Cole’s overtime winner. A fluke play that had a Brendan Smith shot go wide and kick out to Cole, who followed up his own shot which went in off Ryan Lindgren past Shesterkin with 16:48 left in OT.
That’s how some of these close fought games get decided. Sometimes, all it takes is a bounce. Luck was on Carolina’s side.
Before the game started, Mollie Walker reported a hint of positive news on Sammy Blais. The injured forward who’s been out since P.K. Subban tripped him to cause a torn ACL, skated in a non-contact jersey at practice. Barclay Goodrow didn’t skate.
As expected, Gallant stuck with the same lineup that got it done against the Penguins. Here’s how they lined up:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Vatrano
Panarin-Strome-Copp
Lafreniere-Chytil-Kakko
Motte-Rooney-Reaves
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Braun-Schneider
Shesterkin
Initially for the Hurricanes, Brind’Amour went with the same winning formula from Game Seven over the Bruins.
Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis
Teravainen-Trocheck-Domi
Niederreiter-Staal-Fast
Lorentz-Kotkaniemi-Necas
Slavin-DeAngelo
Skjei-Pesce
Smith-Cole
Raanta
In an interesting way to begin the second round series, both coaches went with their checking lines. Following some play by Tyler Motte, Ryan Reaves and Kevin Rooney in the Carolina end, the Staal line had the puck down low against the Zibanejad line. Niederreiter high-sticked Fox for the game’s first power play.
Before they could do anything, Vincent Trocheck had Jordan Staal open for a shorthanded bid. But the Hurricanes captain fired wide. Once on the puck in the Carolina zone, Strome took one of his specials. He took down Jaccob Slavin to even it up just 27 seconds into the five-on-four.
The two teams skated four aside before the Canes got an abbreviated 12-second power play. A Zibanejad clear ended it.
Afterwards, Motte used his speed to create an opportunity for Kevin Rooney. But it didn’t connect. Finally, the Canes transition created an open shot for Jarvis. But Ryan Lindgren broke it up with a block.
Initially, the Rangers had the first four shots. They were much sharper. For some reason, the Canes seemed to be a step behind. They weren’t able to generate much that threatened Shesterkin. It was perplexing.
Part of that was the Rangers’ structure. They were getting back in position and managing the puck well. A big improvement from the first round.
That attention to detail led to the first goal of the series. Tony DeAngelo forced the issue to cause a turnover. That allowed Lafreniere to skate in on a two-on-one and slide a pass across for a Chytil one-timer for his first goal of the second round with 12:53 remaining.
Alexis Lafreniere (2G-3A), Filip Chytil (2G-1A) and Kaapo Kakko (1G-1A) now have a combined 10 points in these playoffs.
Amazingly, it took the Hurricanes nearly nine minutes to get their first shot. DeAngelo got it on Shesterkin, who had no problem with his long shot. He must’ve felt like he was on vacation.
Strome then had a strong shift. After making a good clear to help the Justin Braun, Braden Schneider pair get out versus the Aho line, he took the puck aggressively to the net, forcing Raanta into a tough save.
At the 8:45 mark of the period, Lindgren took his fifth shift. It was the final one of the period. He went back to the locker room for repairs. He played 3:01 in the first. Fortunately, he did return.
Lindgren didn't take that last shift with Fox and is on the bench talking to head trainer Jim Ramsay. Something to keep an eye on #NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) May 18, 2022
Suddenly down a defenseman, Gallant worked in a five-man rotation. He used Miller a lot with Fox while Braun spent most shifts with Trouba.
Late in the period, Lafreniere went wide with a shot. Then Kakko recovered the puck and drove towards the net into the slot. Rather than shoot, he passed across for Chytil, whose one-timer in tight was denied by a great Raanta pad save.
That close to a two-goal lead. It was the biggest save of the game. That’s how badly the Canes needed Raanta to deliver in that spot. They were badly outplayed.
Following that incredible stop, Jarvis got behind the defense for the Canes’ best chance. Miller was able to deny him with good positioning. Note that for later.
After holding a 12-8 edge in shots with a 1-0 lead, the Rangers got good news. Lindgren returned for the second period. That meant a regular rotation on the blue line.
In the period of the long change, there were some dicey moments. Early on, Fox was out for a 1:32 shift with Lindgren. He took a good Andrei Svechnikov hit.
Eventually, some strong work from Lafreniere got the puck out of the zone. He then skated into the Canes’ zone for a counter and tested Raanta with a low wrist shot from the circle. His game is more instinctive. He’s playing like a top pick.
Then, things opened up. First, a good shift from the Zibanejad line against two-thirds of the Staal line with Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce nearly resulted in a second goal. Vatrano did some strong work down low and passed for a Zibanejad shot that just missed.
On a counter, Staal was able to carry the puck into the Rangers’ zone and get a good shot on Shesterkin. He had help from Kreider, who made a good play along the wall to get out.
Following a Raanta save on Strome, the Canes had their best sustained pressure of the game. They had Trouba pinned in his end for an Ironman 3:12 shift. While Miller got off, he couldn’t. A fresh Braun helped along with the Zibanejad lime after Lafreniere was on for nearly two minutes. When he got to the bench, he looked gassed.
Then came the first great Kakko tease opportunity. Able to forecheck, he was stopped by Raanta to keep the game at 1-0. As the period moved along without many stoppages, Jarvis got behind the defense. But a hustling Miller came back to deny him and delivered a clean check to knock him off the book. It was a great defensive play.
After an outstanding play from Miller, Lafreniere again used his speed to get a dangerous scoring chance. With 5:37 left, he had a shot go off the far goalpost. That close to a two-goal lead.
At that point, shots were 22-13 overall. Late in the second, Miller broke up a potential tying goal on a backdoor feed. Shesterkin also shrugged off a high Jarvis shot with a blocker save.
Panarin nearly caught the Hurricanes napping in the closing seconds. He was able to test Raanta with a high riser that he made a big save on. After two periods, the Rangers still led by one. They outshot the Hurricanes 11-6 and led 23-14 overall.
Who is this team playing defense so well and can they stay forever??
But in the pivotal third period, the Hurricanes woke up. Brind’Amour made some good in game adjustments by breaking up his top two lines. He reunited Teravainen with Aho and Jarvis. Svechnikov was moved onto the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Marty Necas.
It really worked. Sparked by the line changes, the Canes came at warp speed. Before their big push that saw them get the first seven shots of the period, Zibanejad had a look at a wide open shot off a turnover. But he sent it wide. It wasn’t his night.
Right afterwards, here came a Hurricane. On just a great pass by Aho across the ice, Teravainen somehow didn’t finish. It looked like a lay-up. But Shesterkin must’ve kept it out.
At that point, I knew what was in store. A Hurricanes storm surge. They applied tons of forecheck pressure. With the crowd revved up, a great shift from Trocheck, Svechnikov and Necas nearly had it tied. But Shesterkin didn’t buckle.
He then denied DeAngelo on a tough low shot with a player in front. It looked like the Rangers wouldn’t even muster a shot. They looked like they were skating a man short.
There weren’t many whistles. No penalties were called after the early two. It was all played at five-on-five during the second and third. The better team at even strength started to to flex their muscles.
On some more pressure from the Canes, DeAngelo moved into a shooting position at the point. But Kreider was in the right spot to make a good defensive read to break it up and force him out. You could see DeAngelo visibly frustrated as he went to the bench during a rare stoppage.
Then came the play that could’ve been. On just a smart read by Lafreniere, he chipped the puck off the wall to lead Kakko for a one-on-one with Raanta. In on the goalie, he tried to cut it too fine and fell down on his forehand deke attempt. There was no call.
But JD said that Kakko lost his balance. At what point does he start burying these kind of chances? He played well. But the Rangers need more offense from him.
Right after that miss, Nino Niederreiter was sent in behind Schneider. His laser rang off the crossbar. That close to a tie game.
Even more hair-raising was Kakko blowing a gimme. He had a puck bounce off a Canes’ defenseman right to him with a wide open net. Somehow, he missed. That really proved costly.
On another strong shift by the Chytil line, Kakko was stopped by Raanta with 4:07 left. Shots were 7-2.
That’s when a desperate Canes made their final push. After he hit the goalpost with a shot, Aho was sent back in by the combination of Teravainen and Jarvis. Able to get behind both Zibanejad and Trouba, he had his first shot stopped. But potted the rebound past Shesterkin to tie it with 2:33 remaining.
It was a nightmare for the Rangers. They fell asleep on the tying goal. Can anyone explain what Panarin was doing out there when they were nursing a one-goal lead? He was loafing. It wasn’t a good look.
It never is when your best players are out trying to protect a 1-0 lead. Why was Panarin out with Zibanejad and Copp? Why not a defensive forward like Motte or Rooney? A screw-up for sure by the bench.
In the last minute of regulation, Gallant put out his best line. Indeed, the Chytil line was trusted to get something done. A strong cycle nearly led to the winner. But Fox sent his point shot wide.
GG on the Kid Line: "They were outstanding. That goal they scored, and then they had 4 or 5 other great chances. It would have been great if they could have finished another one, but they played real good hockey for young guys coming in here. We’re real happy with them."#NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) May 19, 2022
After Jarvis got a hit on Zibanejad, Kreider returned the favor before the buzzer. That caused some commotion. But the refs and linesmen did a good job breaking it up and sending each team off the ice.
So, they went to overtime. The second straight one for the Rangers and third of the playoffs. Before the start, ESPN put up a stat that they’ve lost eight of their last nine Game One’s where it’s gone to OT. I shook my head.
Maybe I knew how it would end. It’s so hard to recover from giving up a late goal the way they did. Especially in enemy territory. I wasn’t nervous for it. I also didn’t expect it to last long.
It didn’t take long for the Hurricanes to prove they were the aggressor. Following a good offensive shift by the Trocheck line that saw the center get off a backhand that Shesterkin stopped, the Blueshirts ran into more trouble.
With Rooney, Lafreniere and Kakko caught on with Lindgren and Trouba due to the long change, they got hemmed in by the Hurricanes’ fourth line. Sure enough, their depth shined when it mattered most.
After Trouba was unable to clear the zone, it was just a matter of time. Kotkaniemi worked the puck up for a Smith shot that took a wide carom back to Cole. After his initial shot was blocked, he was able to fire it through where it deflected off Lindgren and underneath Shesterkin for the overtime winner at 3:12.
Had Lindgren not been in the path, Shesterkin makes the save. Maybe the Rangers escape. Who knows what might’ve happened. Instead, they skated off the ice with a disgusted Lafreniere slamming his stick. He was next to Cole on the shot. It wasn’t on him. He played a great game.
There isn’t a whole lot to add. This was one they could’ve won. But a bad third period really hurt. Play like they did in the first two periods and it’s a win. They never got the key insurance marker to put the Hurricanes away.
Credit the Canes for responding. That’s why they’re a very good team. Brind’Amour made smart moves which got his team going. It isn’t possible without Raanta, who was my first star over Cole. He actually stopped 22 of 23 in the first two periods.
You never know who the hero will be in the playoffs. Who had Josh Manson winning it for the Avalanche the other night 3-2 over the Blues? Did anyone take Cole on the #bucciovertimechallenge? I took Lafreniere for our side and Svechnikov for the Caniacs.
In a more wild and wacky Game One, the Flames recovered from blowing a 6-2 lead to beat the Oilers 9-6. The Battle Of Alberta isn’t going to disappoint. Connor McDavid willed his team back with four points (1-3-4). But Rasmus Andersson and Matthew Tkachuk scored to help Calgary pull away.
In the other series, the Lightning won 4-1 over the Panthers by getting three power play goals minus Brayden Point. Corey Perry, Nikita Kucherov and Ross Colton tallied for the two-time defending champs. Game Two is later tonight.
The Avalanche look to go up two-zip on the Blues, who got great goaltending from Jordan Binnington to push it to overtime despite being severely outplayed. We’ll see what he does for an encore.
I’m most interested to see how the Panthers respond to being down 1-0 to the Lightning. Especially with the next two in Tampa where they have a better home ice advantage. That should be fun.
For more observations on the postseason, please follow me on Twitter on our official account at BattleOfHudson. Or send me an email at kovy274hart@yahoo.com.
Who else can’t contain their excitement about tonight? It’s been a long time since this team played in the second round.
Honestly, it feels like much longer than five years. So much changed since then. The Letter. The commitment to a rebuild. Some of our favorite players leaving for other teams. New faces arriving.
It required patience. Missing the playoffs was tough. I don’t count the silly Play In Qualifying Series either. We know what happened. Henrik Lundqvist played for the final time. Igor Shesterkin arrived.
That was then. This is now. Finally a T-E-A-M we can get behind. They never quit. The Never Say Die Blueshirts didn’t against Sidney Crosby and the more experienced Penguins last round. They battled to come back and win the last three games in historic fashion.
Resilient. That’s what these New York Rangers have been all year under the very even keel Gerard Gallant, who never gets too high or low. He is a calming influence which has helped his players not panic.
Tonight is the start of the Metropolitan Division Final against the Hurricanes in Raleigh. The loudest fans in the NHL will be rocking. There will still be some support for the Rangers due to fans who live in the area. It’ll be a fun environment.
It’s a step up in weight class. They can’t expect to fall behind like the opening round. The Canes can storm surge when they get the lead early. Sam Rosen is correct when he told Steve Serby of The NY Post that the Rangers must play with the lead. That should bode well.
It’s ironic that you have a goalie match-up featuring Shesterkin versus former Lundqvist pupil Antti Raanta to start the series. Who would’ve ever believed that after the season Frederik Andersen had. His status remains unknown. He’s skated, but hasn’t practiced.
Tony DeAngelo is now public enemy number one. A role he enjoys. The half dozen ex-Rangers will have something to say about this series. DeAngelo is the biggest of those guys after his eight points in Round One versus Boston. Can the Blueshirts get underneath his skin like Brad Marchand did? A master at it.
I’d love to see Gallant get the match-up of Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Frank Vatrano against Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and gifted rookie Seth Jarvis (13th overall in 2020 Draft). But they’re likely to see a lot of Jordan Staal, Nino Niederreiter and Jesper Fast in Carolina.
Who will Gallant use to slow down the Aho line? Aho has had a good past against the Blueshirts. Will it be Artemi Panarin, Andrew Copp and Ryan Strome? Or might he try to mix and match with K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba getting the early assignment. But if the pair has issues, it could fall on Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox.
Having Tyler Motte back gives that checking line a boost due to his speed and grit quotient. He is tough. Maybe he,, Kevin Rooney and Ryan Reaves see a few shifts against the Canes’ top line or even the underrated second line centered by Vincent Trocheck. That features Teuvo Teravainen and Max Domi.
How much can Alexis Lafreniere make an impact? He had a good first round scoring twice and adding two assists. He and Filip Chytil have chemistry due to their simple approach. Can Kaapo Kakko keep up? He’s going to have to absorb some hits.
How long before Gallant bumps up Lafreniere to Zibanejad and Kreider if Vatrano struggles? That’s my wildcard.
Can they win enough critical face-offs to keep the aggressive mindset of the Canes at bay? Puck possession is their team strength along with depth. Puck management must be much better to withstand the Carolina attack.
The battle of special teams is crucial. That means capitalizing on the power play and doing a good job on the penalty kill. Maintaining discipline is the key. Get enough pucks through on Raanta. Shoot the puck Panarin. Get traffic. Make it hard on him.
We know the Blueshirts must be sturdier around Shesterkin. The Canes will crash the net similar to the Penguins. They will look for greasy goals. Clearing the net front is huge. Forwards must come back.
It’s all very exciting. It should be. Let’s enjoy it. Game One is next. I’ll have a full game recap later.
Game Seven hero Artemi Panarin on the cover of the New York Post. The Bread Man will need to be better for the Rangers to upset the Hurricanes in the second round. Photo courtesy of the NY Post via Getty Images
Two days after completing their latest come from behind win in spectacular fashion thanks to overtime hero Artemi Panarin, whose power play goal allowed the Rangers to rally from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Penguins, they now are preparing for the Hurricanes.
The best-of-seven second round series starts tomorrow night in Carolina. Round Two actually begins tonight. The Battle Of Florida gets going when the Panthers host the Lightning at 7 PM. That’ll be followed by the Avalanche hosting the Blues at 9:30 PM.
I’ll have picks for the second round later. Meaning for the other three series including the much anticipated Battle Of Alberta between bitter rivals Calgary and Edmonton, who start up following the first game between the Rangers and Hurricanes.
It’s a brand new season. So, whatever happened before doesn’t matter. If you didn’t learn that lesson from how hard it was for the Blueshirts to advance past the Pens after dominating the regular season series, then you don’t get playoff hockey.
Here’s the thing. The Hurricanes took the season series by winning three of four meetings. However, they easily could’ve won all four. If not for the gem from backup Alex Georgiev, they would have.
That isn’t to suggest that the Rangers can’t compete in this series. The trade deadline additions of Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano and Justin Braun have improved the roster. Copp (4-3-7) was instrumental in setting up Mika Zibanejad’s clutch tying goal in Game Seven. Vatrano (2-3-5) and Braun (assist, 14:05 TOI) contributed to the Rangers’ first series triumph in five years.
So, what does the series between Tobacco Road and Broadway boil down to? Let’s take a closer look.
The Ex-Rangers: One subplot is that the Hurricanes feature six former Rangers. At one time, the Lightning were referred to as Rangers South. That moniker now belongs to Carolina.
The key players include offensive defenseman Tony DeAngelo, checking forward Jesper Fast, second pair defenseman Brady Skjei, third pair defenseman Brendan Smith, depth center Derek Stepan and winning first round netminder Antti Raanta.
In their seven-game first round victory over the Bruins, DeAngelo had eight points (1-7-8) along with partner Jaccob Slavin (2-6-8) to tie for the team lead in scoring. A superb skater who can transition quickly and run the power play, he must not be given time and space.
An excellent passer of the puck, he can find open teammates for offense. While good offensively, DeAngelo can be attacked defensively. The key will be finishing checks and getting underneath his skin. As we know, he’s an intense competitor. It will be the most interesting storyline of the series.
Of the two ex-Ranger forwards, Fast has a key role on the checking line. He plays with shutdown center Jordan Staal and the very effective Nino Niederreiter. A good two-way forward, who is a strong penalty killer, Fast could see quite a bit of former teammates Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Stepan won’t play every game. The former 2015 playoff hero is used by Rod Brind’Amour as a fourth line depth player. It speaks to how deep the Canes are. If he plays, Stepan makes up for his lack of speed with smarts. He can be good behind the net.
Skjei pairs with Brett Pesce. Once a former first round pick, he was traded to Carolina for a first round pick that became Braden Schneider. Talk about a subplot.
Still a strong skater, Skjei can move the puck effectively while teaming with Pesce to match-up against quality competition. They’ll see either the Zibanejad line or Panarin line. He only had an assist in Round One. But is capable of contributing.
If there’s one area that can be exploited, it’s in his end. At times, Skjei can be forechecked and cough up the puck. He also can take penalties. He only took one against Boston.
Smith has become what he was in the Big Apple. A solid and steady third pair defenseman who likes to take the body, he works with Ian Cole. Cole is the stronger of the two having won Cups in Pittsburgh.
If there are scrums, figure Smith to be involved. He knows how to suck players into taking penalties. The Rangers must stay disciplined. That’ll be a key factor.
In the first round, Raanta was the number one goalie. The likable former backup to Henrik Lundqvist, he had a good showing. Filling in for starter Frederik Andersen, he won three games including the clincher to help the Canes advance.
Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov actually had to come in and start a game due to an injury. But once he returned to the net, Raanta did a good job. He posted a 2.37 GAA and .927 save percentage.
Andersen is expected back this round. The question is will he be ready for Game One. He is an upgrade over Raanta. But it depends how sharp he is. He missed significant time down the stretch. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brind’Amour sticks with Raanta. The Hurricanes play the same style in front of their goalies.
It’s time to take a closer look at the match-ups. Here’s how it breaks down.
FORWARDS: The Hurricanes are well balanced. Led by Sebastian Aho (2-3-5), who had a quiet first round by his standards, he centers the top line. He and Andrei Svechnikov (3-1-4) are very good players who forecheck well with the latter supplying the physicality.
Rookie Seth Jarvis (3-2-5) has game-breaking speed that fits in well. He has a good shot and battles hard. Keep an eye on him. Aho has given the Rangers fits. Obviously, they must limit the mistakes and steer clear of taking penalties against the edgy Svechnikov.
The best Canes forward in Round One was Vincent Trocheck (3-4-7). His seven points tied with playmaker Teuvo Teravainen (2-5-7) for the most among forwards. They had a big Game Seven.
But it was deadline pickup Max Domi scoring his first two career postseason goals and adding a helper. They can’t be underestimated. Especially with Teravainen dangerous in in transition.
Staal anchors the checking line between Niederreiter and Fast. A terrific center on face-offs, who doubles as a good penalty killer, he is a very effective player due to his tenacity. Niederreiter is the best finisher on the line getting three goals against the Bruins. They’ll be matched up a lot against Zibanejad.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi anchors the fourth line. He’s a solid checking forward. Marty Necas is capable of contributing offense. He had three assists. It’ll be either Stepan or Brind’Amour favorite Jordan Martinook if he can return. Interestingly, Steven Lorentz played over Stepan in Game Seven.
The Rangers are more top heavy. Featuring Zibanejad (3-8-11), who took over by scoring three goals and four assists over the last two games, he is the big center they rely on.
An explosive player who is trusted by Gerard Gallant in every situation including the penalty kill, it’s Zibanejad’s time. As he and Chris Kreider (5-2-7) go, so do the Rangers. Vatrano brings good speed and a shoot first mentality. If he is ineffective like the seventh game, Gallant could bump up Alexis Lafreniere (2-2-4), who was very noticeable in his first taste of the postseason.
Despite struggling with whatever is ailing him, Panarin (3-4-7) overcame that to notch the biggest goal of his career that sent the Blueshirts to the second round. The Bread Man admitted that maybe he should’ve shot more due to how he was defended. A brilliant passer, he’s very unselfish. He must limit the turnovers that can fuel the Canes in the neutral zone.
Line mates Copp and Ryan Strome (1-5-6) had good offensive series. In a twist, Strome took the most shots (27) during Round One. He had some good looks on the power play due to Kreider and Zibanejad being focused on.
Copp brings that unique combination of skating, skill and grit. He’ll take more draws than Strome and is dangerous on the penalty kill. He really has made a huge difference. Keep an eye on him.
The third line of Filip Chytil (1-1-2), Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko (1-1-2) had some good moments in Round One. They were really effective on the cycle. Using a straightforward approach is why. Lafreniere makes things happen on the walls. Chytil used his size better than at any point during the season.
Kakko is the wildcard. He can either be noticeable when he’s using his size on the forecheck to create offense, or be invisible due to the lack of physicality. They need a bit more from him in this series. Especially if Barclay Goodrow remains out.
The checking line was alright against the Pens. By now, we know what Ryan Reaves will bring. A bundle of energy before and during games, he will deliver big hits and bang in the corners.
Kevin Rooney (2 assists) continues to be an effective defensive center who is solid on the kill. The return of Tyler Motte really gave the Rangers a boost due to his speed and tenacity. He is also a very good shorthanded player, combining with Copp to create opportunities. Both are good overall players Gallant can trust.
Analysis: If you prefer overall depth to top heavy scoring, then it’s the Canes. If you’re the opposite and like the explosive nature of the top six, then it’s the Blueshirts. Carolina is a little bit stronger.
Edge: Hurricanes
DEFENSEMEN: Since I’ve already outlined what the three Hurricanes’ defense pairings will be, I’ll just rehash it quickly.
Slavin is the best defenseman they have. One of the game’s top defensive D, he is a strong skater who uses a combination of skating and positioning to match-up versus opponents’ top scorers. He really anchors the blue line. In the first round, he posted a plus-10 rating with eight points. That’s no coincidence.
DeAngelo we are quite familiar with. He can use his skating and vision to find openings. That includes the stretch pass. He also isn’t shy about shooting. A potent weapon on offense, the Ranger forwards must pay attention to him.
Of the two on the second pair, Pesce is the better defensive player over Skjei. He is more steady and will likely see a lot of Panarin. I would try to attack Skjei’s side more with soft dumps in the corner on the forecheck.
Cole is obviously more polished than Smith, who doesn’t have the best footspeed. So, that can be exploited. He makes up for it with smarts and toughness. Smith will look to get shots through if he’s open. Don’t forget he doubled on the fourth line last year.
What makes the Hurricanes so good defensively is their aggressive system. They will pinch up in the neutral zone to force turnovers. The Rangers are going to have to be much better at puck management in this round. If not, it’ll be a short stay.
Adam Fox is the offensive dynamo for the Rangers. His 10 points (3-7-10) were second behind Zibanejad in the first round. A terrific skating defenseman who’s superb at setting up open teammates, he is a great power play quarterback. He’ll create plenty of offense, but again must shoot the puck when he has the chance.
Paired alongside Ryan Lindgren (1-1-2) whose return was a huge reason they came back, Fox needs to do a better job defensively. He had some problems clearing pucks and got caught a few times.
Lindgren really covers up for him. He’s a lot like Dan Girardi. Heart and guts. Whatever he can do to help win whether it’s finishing checks, blocking shots or making key defensive plays, The Warrior will do it. They can’t afford to lose him.
The second pair consists of K’Andre Miller (1-3-4) and Jacob Trouba. Outside of a big Game Five where he had a goal and two assists while accidentally injuring Sidney Crosby on a fluke play, Trouba struggled mightily. He got caught out of position on goals and took unnecsessary penalties. That cannot happen this round.
It was actually Miller, who was the most effective defenseman in the seven games. A great skater who uses his long reach to break up plays, the second-year D has matured into a solid two-way player. While he made mistakes against Crosby, that was expected. However, his big goal and rush to draw a penalty led to Panarin’s winner.
Figure Miller and Trouba to see a lot of Aho, Svechnikov and Jarvis. That’ll be a key match-up. How they perform could help determine how the Rangers do against the heavily favored Hurricanes.
Gallant will likely go with Braun and Schneider for the third pair. Unlike Game Seven when neither received nine minutes, they’ll play double digits. Schneider had three assists. He is a good skater who can make good plays with the puck and smart pinches.
Braun is a no frills veteran who brings experience to the back end. Once Patrik Nemeth struggled against Pittsburgh, Gallant didn’t hesitate to insert the former Shark, who’s familiar with the playoff grind. His job is to keep it simple and be a steady influence on Schneider, who was up and down.
Analysis: The Canes are better overall due to how they play. In terms of the personnel, it’s pretty even. It will depend on how the Rangers’ defense handles things. They have enough talent to do a better job than what was on display in Round One.
Edge: Even
GOALIES: Igor Shesterkin (252 saves on 277 shots) was a big story against the Pens. His 79 saves in Game One were the second most in playoff history. He struggled in Pittsburgh getting the hook twice. But that was a product of how the team played in front of him.
However, when push came to shove, Shesterkin came up large in Games Five, Six and Seven with the 42 saves in the deciding game being the difference. That’s the goalie the Rangers need to win this series.
If it’s Raanta, I’ve already documented his success story. He did a good job making the key stops when his team needed it most. At the moment, it’s unclear if Andersen will be available for the start of the series.
Raanta says he has fond memories learning from Hank and says there's a lot of good people in the Rangers organization.
Says he's gotten some "game on" texts ahead of round two
Analysis: Even if Andersen is back, will he be the same goalie who got snubbed when they revealed the three finalists for the Vezina? The Rangers know what they have in Shesterkin. Obviously, they don’t want a scenario where the Canes are controlling possession and turning his net into a shooting gallery. He can make the big saves. His puck handling is also a strength.
Edge: Rangers
COACHES: It’s a fascinating match-up that pits Gallant against Brind’Amour. Both are good coaches who have done excellent jobs. While Brind’Amour is a bit more about matching up and intense, Gallant is more laid back and doesn’t panic.
They’re very different personalities. However, when he sees something he doesn’t like, Gallant will call his team out. He called them soft after an awful 7-2 loss in Game Four. He also made necessary in game adjustments to finally free up Zibanejad and Kreider in the final two games.
The line tweaking during the third period of Game Seven was critical. Without it, Gallant’s team is on the golf course. Brind’Amour is very detail oriented. He demands consistency from his team. They still have yet to take the next step. Gallant guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural season.
Analysis: It depends on what you prefer. The pressure is on Brind’Amour due to having a more experienced roster. His system is excellent. Gallant must counter it by having his team prepared well.
Edge: Even
SPECIAL TEAMS: The Rangers have a good power play. Despite some hiccups that nearly cost them, they went 6-for-19 (31.6 percent). Good for third in Round One. Zibanejad, Kreider and Panarin getting the key goals.
The Hurricanes went 5-for-36 (13.9 percent). Despite having almost twice the chances, they converted one fewer PPG. Both teams allowed a shorthanded goal.
On the penalty kill, both teams were inconsistent in the first round. The Rangers killed 17 of 23 (73.9) to rank 11th out of 16. Down from 82.3 (7th) in the regular season. However, they scored two shorthanded goals (Kreider and Copp). Despite all the whining from our fans, they only faced four more power plays.
The Hurricanes had a very good penalty kill in the regular season that ranked first. However, they weren’t as good versus the Bruins. Carolina went 23 for 29 (79.3) to place eighth best. Unlike the Rangers, they didn’t score shorthanded. But players like Aho, Teravainen and Staal are dangerous.
Analysis: If they can handle the Canes’ pressure, then the Rangers should have a clear advantage on the power play. It’s about drawing enough penalties to make it count. Without Goodrow, their penalty kill isn’t as strong. He wins draws.
Edge: Rangers
Key Statistic: During the first round, the Rangers had a playoff high 148 giveaways. Bycomparison, the Hurricanes had 88. Both teams are top two in takeaways with the Canes having 83 and the Blueshirts having 71.
FACE-OFFS: This is the biggest area that could be a factor. The Rangers aren’t good on face-offs. They’ve struggled all year. It was no different in Round One. They went 43.1 percent to rank 16th. They MUST do a better job. Particularly in the defensive zone.
A strong puck possession team, the Hurricanes ranked sixth at 51.8 in the first round despite facing the Bruins. They have better personnel led by Staal. Needless to say, it’s a key part of the series to follow.
Analysis: None.
Edge: Hurricanes
Intangibles: The Canes are the more battle tested team. They’ve been here before. So, they should be hungry to advance. It’s a group that made one Conference Final, but have yet to play for the Cup. There’s a lot on the line. The pressure is on them.
The Rangers gained a lot of valuable experience by rallying from behind to defeat the more experienced Penguins. They don’t face the same pressure. But they’re a very resilient group that never gives up.
Edge: Hurricanes
Series Analysis: It’s a contrast in styles. The Rangers like to use their speed and skill to make things happen. The Hurricanes play very aggressively by activating their defense. They’re the better five-on-five team.
The x-factor could be Shesterkin. He can make this a closer series than what the so-called experts think. If he plays well, then the Rangers have a puncher’s chance.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 6
Since this took a while to complete, I’ll just make my picks for the other three series.
A night later, let’s get to why I couldn’t believe the overtime winner Artemi Panarin scored to beat the Penguins in a memorable deciding Game Seven.
With 10 seconds remaining on the power play, Panarin moved in and fired a seeing eye shot through a maze of Pens that just snuck past Tristan Jarry inside the near goalpost at 4:46 of sudden death.
Let’s take a closer look at how hard a shot that was to make. Like the Game Seven hero said following the emotional first round victory, the Pens didn’t give the Rangers’ top unit much room.
On the TNT replay called by Kenny Albert, Panarin took an Adam Fox pass back and moved into position. However, he had John Marino in the path and Kris Letang near Jarry.
When he released the shot, it honestly looked like it wouldn’t reach the net. Somehow, the puck got by Marino and past both Letang and Jarry’s glove into the top part of the net for the series clincher.
Let’s take a look at the MSG replay as wonderfully called by Rangers play-by-play announcer Sam Rosen. If you slow it down, you’ll notice how little room Panarin had to get the shot through.
On Panarin’s winning shot, he manages to get it just by Marino’s skate. Then, with Letang battling Kreider in front, the Penguins’ top defenseman accidentally screened Jarry. That key battle allowed Panarin to score his dramatic OT winner, sending the Rangers to the second round for the first time since they ousted Montreal in 2017.
It’s why I was so late to react to the goal. I didn’t think it had a prayer of going in. The Pens had done a good job blanketing Panarin throughout the series. He finished with three goals and four assists in seven games.
One last thing on the Bread Man. He definitely appears to still be playing through an injury. Whatever sidelined him for the last three games of the regular season, it still seems to be an issue.
Hopefully, a couple of days off before the Rangers begin their second round series against Metro Division champ Carolina will help him get healthier. They’re going to need Panarin at his best against a very tough opponent.
As far as what makes the ’21-22 New York Rangers special, coach Gerard Gallant nailed it during Sunday night’s postgame. Turk knows that this team never quits. Even when things looked bleak during plenty of moments in the three elimination games, they are never out of a game.
“That’s our team,” Gallant told New York Post Rangers columnist Larry Brooks. “We compete, we battle and we find ways to win games that maybe we shouldn’t have.”
That’s what makes them the Never Say Die Rangers. They’re a resilient team used to falling behind in games. They’ve been a comeback team all year. That is probably why they never panicked after getting down in Games Five through Seven.
They made NHL playoff history by becoming the first ever team to complete a 3-1 comeback when trailing at points in all three games. It had never been done before.
A much different scenario than 2014 when a more battle tested team never trailed in coming back to defeat the Pens. A year later, they stunned the Capitals by getting a Chris Kreider game-tying goal and a Ryan McDonagh overtime winner to start their 3-1 comeback in an unbelievable Game Five.
I was in the building for that game. It really felt like they were done. I told my brother Justin they needed a miracle. Derek Stepan made the back pass for the clutch Kreider shot that beat Braden Holtby to force OT. Stepan would then make the drop for McDonagh’s winner that kept them alive.
After taking Game Six by hanging on for dear life against Alex Ovechkin and company, they were deadlocked with the Caps in overtime. On a face-off win by Stepan, he was able to get loose to steer home a rebound of a Dan Girardi shot to win that series in a dramatic conclusion to the seventh game.
I stayed home for that one by myself. Justin, Mike and Dad went. They were there for that unbelievable finish to a memorable second round series. Probably the best one of those Blueshirts teams featuring Henrik Lundqvist.
That was a special time to be a fan of this team. When I think back to all the incredible series that needed seven games to decide that dated back to 2012, it was a joy to be at The Garden for most of those. The atmosphere was incredible. A different time.
Before I close the book on this post, I wanted to highlight a Brooks’ statement in his column from late last night. It pertains to analytics.
Many use the fancy statistics to measure a game such as Sunday’s. By all accounts, the Rangers got outplayed and out-chanced by the Penguins. I think we all know that. They outshot them 42-30 and out-attempted the Blueshirts 69-67. That was closer due to the Pens missing the net less.
However, it didn’t matter. The bottom line is Igor Shesterkin made up the difference. He returned to form by stopping 39 of 42 shots. That included a few highlight reel saves time give his team a chance.
“There were way too many chances against, way too many high-danger chances. The analytics people must be aghast at this victory in which the Blueshirts had an xGF of 35.08 percent, just as that subset has been, game after game, month after month, victory after victory. The analytics community still has not devised a formula that measures heart.”
The bolded final part from Brooks’ column nails it. You can win in this league if you have those intangibles that don’t show up in the box score or stat sheet. The Blueshirts aren’t perfect by any stretch. But they do play with a lot of grit and determination.
They’re also very resilient. It’s those key characteristics that explain why they were able to advance to the second round.
That’ll do it. Tomorrow, I’ll have a preview of Rangers vs Rangers South Hurricanes. Plus picks for the other three series.
I’m most excited about the Battle Of Alberta. It’s been 31 years since the Oilers and Flames battled in the postseason. This still remains the highlight of that series despite Edmonton prevailing in seven.
Theo Fleury’s goal celebration remains the best I’ve seen. The Oilers came back to win Game Seven 5-4 on Esa Tikkanen’s overtime winner in Calgary.
Here’s hoping for another classic series featuring Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evander Kane, Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk.
The Battle Of Florida will also be fun to watch. I’m most curious to see what the two-time defending champion Lightning have left after going seven to beat the cursed Maple Leafs four straight Game 7 losses in first round).
What about the questionable status of injured star Brayden Point? It didn’t look good when he suffered what looked to be a serious leg injury crashing into the boards during the first period the other night.
If they’re without Mr. Clutch, whose latest OT heroics in Game Six kept them alive, can the Bolts match the firepower of the top seeded Panthers? We’ll see.
The other match-up features the high scoring Avalanche against the 2019 Cup champion Blues. That could be interesting. It’ll depend on the goalies.
Ig-or! A happy Igor Shesterkin is all smiles after the Rangers eliminated the Penguins in dramatic fashion on Artemi Panarin’s power play goal at 4:46 of overtime to take Game Seven 4-3. AP Photo by NYRangers via Getty Images
Improbable. Unthinkable. Incredible. Exhilarating. High Anxiety. That’s what comes to mind after a dramatic conclusion to a great series.
In what amounted to a gutsy performance, the Never Say Die Rangers found a way to come back and stun the Penguins 4-3 in overtime to win a deciding Game Seven before a sellout crowd at MSG.
Artemi Panarin scored at 4:46 of sudden death on the power play to become the ultimate hero in an evenly matched first round series. His third goal came at the right time for the Rangers, who advance to the second round where they’ll face the Hurricanes.
It wouldn’t have been possible without the clutch play of Mika Zibanejad. His tying goal past Tristan Jarry with 5:45 left in regulation saved the season. A big reason for the come from behind win in Game Six, Zibanejad had a great night finishing with the clutch goal and two assists.
There wouldn’t have even been an overtime without the brilliant play of Igor Shesterkin. In the biggest game of his life, he was spectacular. Without the 42 saves on 45 shots with many big ones at key moments, the Pens run away with it. He really delivered.
I have to admit that I didn’t feel that confident after Evan Rodrigues scored a shorthanded goal to put the Penguins back up 3-2 late in the second period. At that point, it was the special teams of Pittsburgh that were responsible for all three goals.
It was a strange game. There were times where the Rangers were good at five-on-five. However, there were also too many shifts where they either got caught pinching or blew coverages to give the dangerous Penguin transition point blank opportunities.
The only reason they didn’t score was due to Shesterkin, who brought his A game tonight. He might’ve gave up three goals. But none were bad. He made a lot of money saves to keep his team in it.
When he wasn’t stoning Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and other attacking Pens, who were like killer bees around his net, they missed shots high and wide. They also hit a goalpost.
Somehow, it was the Rangers who got three of their four goals at even strength. They beat Jarry three times on 23 shots at five-on-five. Conversely, the Penguins didn’t beat Shesterkin once on 33 shots when teams were at full strength.
They had way more attempts when the sides were even. Like I said, it was a strange game. Usually, it’s the special teams that give the Blueshirts the upper hand. That was the difference in Game Six.
Although they did get the ultimate one from Panarin following a Brock McGinn penalty that he had to take to deny K’Andre Miller of a potential overtime winner, this was a wacky deciding game.
There were a few big storylines entering Sunday night’s do or die game. First and foremost, would Crosby and Jarry play along with Rickard Rakell? Is Mike Sullivan truthful?
Of course, Crosby was ready and took warm-ups along with Jarry and Rakell, who played his first game since Game One. As it turned out, Crosby never had a concussion. Maybe it was the shoulder or something else. I actually wanted him to play anyway. I always prefer the best players be healthy and win straight-up.
Love or hate him, Crosby is an all-time great. Yes. His line was scary during shifts with him back between Mr. Playoffs, Guentzel and the pesky Bryan Rust. A good player in his own right. They combined for 13 shots and 18 attempts. At least they didn’t dominate like earlier in the hard fought seven-game series.
Another storyline was how would the more inexperienced Blueshirts deal with a home Game Seven on Garden ice. Of course, MSG Network recapped the history of seventh games in the building. That included the bitter taste from the last one against the Lightning.
I don’t put any stock in that statistic. While the history is favorable, it doesn’t matter. Who had the Rangers rallying back to win Games Five and Six from identical 2-0 deficits? Who had them scoring first tonight and then needing to again pull a Houdini act to pull off the trifecta? Exactly.
The Rangers became the first team in Stanley Cup Playoff history to record three consecutive comeback wins in elimination games within the same series. #NoQuitInNYpic.twitter.com/0ALmUfRgJL
None of this stuff means anything. It’s nice to look at. It has no bearing on the outcome between two different rosters. Even if the more battle tested Pens still boast Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Guentzel and Rust from the most recent championship teams. They were without Brian Dumoulin for most of the series.
What about the crowd? Could they give the Broadway side an edge? I honestly am disappointed. It’s not the same fans from the deep runs in ’14 and ’15. Nor even 2017. There just aren’t as many, “Let’s Go Rangers,” chants. By the third, the crowd seemed nervous. There wasn’t a lot of energy.
That might’ve been due to it also being the first big game in quite some time. I think a good portion knew they were underdogs even in their own building. We all saw what Crosby could do in the first five games before the injury in the second period of Game Five.
When you have all the ESPN and TNT panels picking the Pens before knowing Crosby would return, I didn’t mind. I’d rather be counted out. This team seems to fare better when everything is up against them. That’s why they’re the Comeback Kids. They’ve proven experts wrong all year.
I laid out some keys to winning. They ignored it. That’s this team. They find a way.
Okay. They delivered on three important points. They won face-offs. Going 28-and-30 against a good face-off team was big. Zibanejad dominated going 18-for-25. Crosby actually lost 13-of-23.
The best players showed up. Zibanejad was the best skater on the ice. He really came through. It gets no bigger than that tying goal on a great shot past Jarry’s glove inside the top of the net to force overtime.
How about Kreider? He got things started by finishing off a beautiful Zibanejad pass off a two-on-one to give them an early lead. If not for his two goals including the improbable game-decider with 1:28 left in the third period, there’s no seventh game. The true captain delivered when it counted. His experience shined.
For the most part, Panarin struggled with pucks all game. He couldn’t get them to settle. The ice was bad due to a concert the previous night. As frustrating as he was at times which included an exasperating high-sticking minor with under 12 minutes left in the third at a crucial time, he was able to deliver the money goal in OT to win the series.
I already covered Shesterkin. He was outstanding. He made several standout saves including denying Crosby and Guentzel in tight. There was a huge glove save on Letang. Plus two acrobatic denials on Rodrigues that defied logic. He was Ig-or.
Before I get into the game recap, I want to single out Gerard Gallant. I critiqued him earlier in the series for not getting the match-ups. However, he did a much better job in the final two games.
That included making some key adjustments during the third period when things were looking bleak. After I tweeted out that Alexis Lafreniere should be moved up, he then was out with Zibanejad and Andrew Copp for a shift.
That new trio delivered for the game-tying goal Zibanejad scored at 14:15. Lafreniere was very noticeable. It was active shift behind the net that caused Marcus Pettersson to lose his helmet.
It wasn’t intentional as Sullivan accused Lafreniere of. It was simply a battle. As it turned out, Pettersson could’ve put the helmet back on without the strap according to former ref Dave Jackson. They didn’t know the rule.
That big play led to Copp out-hustling a Pen on the corner to feed Zibanejad for a rocket that sent the crowd into bedlam. Over the final two games, Zibanejad had seven points (3-4-7). He really delivered. Good for him on sticking with it.
I also liked the usage of gritty forward Tyler Motte. Gallant did a great job mixing up his line combos in crunch time. It really paid off.
Even my good Penguins friend Alyssa noticed. We chatted a little during the game. If you don’t follow her, please do. She has an awesome YouTube channel and is _Alyssa_Hope on Twitter. An excellent hockey fan and unique talent.
Now let’s get into a memorable game that made this first round series special. I’d even have to say that had they lost. It’s much easier to do it after an emotional win. Especially given my anxiety. Holy moly.
After Ryan Reaves did his epic Release Us following his hilarious starting lineup intro that caught Kreider chuckling, the anthem was sung and they dropped the puck for Game Seven. I kinda wish they’d played a video of John Amirante. He might be gone. But he’s still there in spirits. Nobody can ever replace him.
The opening draw was promising. Zibanejad won it. Then Kreider got into the Penguins zone and got off an early backhand eight seconds in which tested Jarry immediately. Exactly what you wanted.
On the next shift, Miller turned over the puck in the neutral zone. That caused an early Pens two-on-one. But Jacob Trouba played it perfectly to force a shot wide.
The Rangers had the game’s first three shots including a Filip Chytil backhand and Zibanejad wrist shot that Jarry handled. Finally, Jeff Carter got a long wrist shot on Shesterkin that he stopped.
Then came a crazy sequence. With the Pens’ checking line pressing the attack against the third pair of Justin Braun and Braden Schneider, they nearly struck. Following a close call from Brock McGinn, Rodrigues had two cracks at scoring. Shesterkin made a couple of unbelievable acrobatic stops to keep the puck out.
With the fans into it saluting Shesterkin with more friendly, “Ig-or, Ig-or,” chants, Schneider trapped a Penguin defenseman with an outlet to send Zibanejad and Kreider in on a two-on-one. In a play that felt like it was in slow-motion, Kreider buried a Zibanejad feed with a laser over the glove of Jarry at 7:36 for a 1-0 lead.
Prior to the game, Steve Valiquette pointed out Jarry’s tendency to go down leaving the upper portion of the net exposed. For as much criticism as he receives, he really nailed it. This was a factor throughout the game.
When the third line was on during the opening period, they were good. Particularly Chytil. He made a few good defensive plays coming back and then created offense. He and Lafreniere were excellent at even strength. Kaapo Kakko didn’t establish much.
After that, the Pens really started to come. They began dictating the terms. Their relentless approach on the forecheck created havoc. It led to a few tough shots that Shesterkin shut down.
There were some misplays by Rangers including Adam Fox. He really struggled defensively. He got caught pinching to cause another two-on-one and had some sloppy turnovers. It was one of the worst periods I’ve seen him play.
With less than half the period left, Panarin slashed Mike Matheson to take one of those unnecessary minor penalties. That put the Penguins on the game’s first power play.
They were very deliberate. Strong defensive plays from Miller and Ryan Lindgren (block on Letang) killed precious time. Late in the five-on-four, Shesterkin made a good kick out on Rust.
Following the successful kill, they got caught napping. On a three-on-two rush, Pettersson pinched and fired a dangerous shot from the slot off the goalpost. That close to being tied.
The Chytil line came back out and established a forecheck. Lafreniere was able to get a good, hard low shot on Jarry, who was able to get the whistle. After a stoppage, Chytil won a draw and got another backhand on Jarry.
But on the next shift, Fox got caught cheating to lead to another Pens’ two-on-one. But Heinen missed the net high and wide. Another break. That’s what made the game weird. Pittsburgh had the better looks at five-on-five, but didn’t score.
On a tricky play by the Pens’ top line, Rust looked like he had Crosby for a goal. But Shesterkin got across to make a great save down low and covered the rebound. With Crosby digging, Lindgren knocked him down. That caused chaos between Rust and Ryan Strome. Each went off for matching roughing minors.
During the four-on-four, Trouba took a bad double minor for high-sticking Matheson, who was visibly bloody. Just a very undisciplined penalty. It hurt.
After some key blocks and strong penalty killing, it was the Penguins second unit that tied it. On a eerie play, Rodrigues and Carter were able to work the puck down low where Heinen got a rebound that just crossed the goal line.
Initially, they waved it off and play continued. But the horn blew down from Toronto who reviewed it. Fox nearly prevented it from going in. But video review confirmed the obvious. Heinen tied it on the power play with 1:09 left.
Pittsburgh remained on the five-on-four due to it being a double minor. The positive is they killed off the remainder that extended into the start of the second period.
Some fans contested that Heinen shoved Shesterkin’s pads which is illegal. That wasn’t the case. Sometimes, the conspiracy theorists lose their minds during these games. I understand being upset over the Chytil goal in Game One. But not everything is a conspiracy. Go watch JFK videos like I do in my free time.
In the second, Shesterkin came up large by denying Guentzel twice down low. As much love as Crosby gets, Guentzel is a handful to defend because he is always around the net. He’s dangerous.
On an inspired shift started by Motte, the fourth line nearly scored. After Rooney drew an interference minor on Matheson, Reaves sent a backhand rebound wide. Power play Blueshirts.
The top unit got some looks. With Kreider in too tight, he passed back for a good Fox shot that Jarry gloved for one of his best saves. He also would deny a strong Ryan Strome one-timer with a right pad kick save.
On a scoring chance down low, Chytil passed instead of shot. He tried to get the puck over for an open Lafreniere. If it worked, it’s an easy goal. He might’ve been better off taking it to the net.
On a make shift checking line that included Rooney, Motte and Kakko, they cycled the puck down low to cheers. That was followed up by a strong shift from Panarin. After a good pinch from Schneider, Panarin got a shot on Jarry who made the easy glove save.
Lindsey was right. They weren’t getting enough shots on Jarry. It was his first game back from a fractured foot. He gave up rebounds. Sometimes, this team is its own worst enemy. Stop with the passes. Shoot the puck!
On some good pressure from the Pens, Kakko coughed up the puck when a player moved in on him. His errant clear turned into a needless delay of game minor penalty.
Following two key Shesterkin stops on Malkin (blocker) and Letang (glove), the Pens were able to convert their second power play goal in odd fashion. After Crosby got the puck to Rust, he sent a pass that took a hop in the air for Guentzel, who batted it in just over Shesterkin at 10:18.
The Rangers immediately signaled that it was a high stick which would’ve negated the goal that was ruled on the ice. Having seen two replays on MSG, I felt it was good. It looked like Guentzel got it at crossbar height with the lower part of his stick.
It went upstairs to Toronto. They took their time reviewing it. But it was obvious that there was nothing definitive to reverse the call on the ice. Although they termed it that way, I never wavered. It looked good. Despite protests and more conspiracy crap, it was not illegal.
The Guentzel tally came with 9:42 left. It was his series best eighth. He really is impressive. Similar to what Kreider does. Also Gabriel Landeskog. He scored eight goals and his team lost.
Fortunately, this time it was the Rangers who had a quick response. On a good forecheck by Strome and Copp, they got the puck up to Miller, whose shot pass for Strome banked in off Matheson to tie it up 1:05 later. It was Miller’s first career postseason goal.
Following that goal, it was the Penguins who again created some dangerous chances. It was their third line that had the pick and nearly went ahead. But Miller did a good job limiting Rodrigues to a soft shot in close that Shesterkin easily covered.
Finally, the home side applied pressure in the Pens’ end. A Zibanejad tough shot forced Jarry into a tough stop. During the play, Rust cross-checked Trouba in front for a penalty.
Instead of taking advantage, they were sloppy. Too much passing and deliberate play from the top unit allowed for Pens’ clears. Eventually, Gallant stuck his second unit out. But a bad turnover from Chytil at the blue line led directly to a shorthanded goal from Rodrigues.
With Miller hustling back to try to break it up, he couldn’t quite make up the difference. Rodrigues was able to move in and catch Shesterkin down to put the puck upstairs high glove for a crushing shorthanded goal with one second remaining on the power play.
That go-ahead goal really felt like the beginning of the end. It came with 2:36 remaining and took the steam out of MSG. After getting outshot 13-8 in the first, they were outshot 18-12. The Pens led in shots 31-20. Far too many at that point.
Between periods, I agreed with Henrik Lundqvist that they didn’t have to panic. They were only down a goal. They’ve proven they’re capable of scoring. A comeback team all season, Lundqvist made a good point about not taking too many risks early. Play their game.
While showing former backup Antti Raanta being interviewed after the Carolina Game Seven win over Boston, Lundqvist remarked, ‘Stop the puck,’ in reference to Raanta in the closing moments of a 3-2 win. It was funny.
When the third period started, I was prepared for the worst. Especially due to the quick start from the Pens. They kept attacking and looking for the knockout punch.
Luckily, it never came. I couldn’t believe how quiet The Garden sounded. I wasn’t alone.
With not nearly enough happening during the first half of the period except for a mindless Panarin high-sticking minor on Letang that thankfully was followed by a Carter trip on Zibanejad, I pleaded for Gallant to make a line switch.
It’s not often that happens. The move sparked the team. It proved that he has a pulse. He had to notice how ineffective the top two lines were. It worked.
The miracle happened. On good forecheck pressure from Lafreniere behind the Pens’ net, he got into a battle with Pettersson. I never noticed that his helmet came off during play. But the Pens still had a chance to get out of trouble.
Instead, Copp competed hard along the boards to win a key battle. He then came out with the puck and centered for Zibanejad.
When he fired the shot, it felt like I was watching something out of a movie. I can’t describe it. It was like an out of body experience. When the puck went in, I went into shock. I couldn’t believe it.
Zibanejad’s clutch tying goal came with 5:44 remaining in the third period. Copp drew the only assist. It wouldn’t have been possible without the work of Lafreniere. To Sullivan’s contention that it was intentional, is he kidding? Have some class. Crosby did afterwards.
The Penguins asked the league for clarification on the helmet rule when this happened just about a year ago and it cost them a goal, FWIW.
Marcus Pettersson had to have known that he could have put his helmet back on instead of skating off. https://t.co/gjKlEVNS56
Gallant continued to mix up his lines. A funny thing happened late. His team started getting more shots on net. They finally simplified their approach.
As they got closer to the end of regulation, Miller made a nice defensive play behind his net. The Rangers checked better at the conclusion. Rust couldn’t get a last second attempt on Shesterkin due to that attention to detail.
It went to overtime. Similar to Game One, it needed a dramatic conclusion to decide a winner. At that point, I was a mess. Not literally. But think basket case. Not the classic Green Day song from the Dookie album. But it applied.
Anxiety sucks. I tried to laugh it off. Even after taking a pill, I was shaking at the start of OT. I don’t think I expected it to reach that point.
Playoff hockey hits different. To think the final pair of Game Seven’s needed sudden death. The Flames won over the Stars later when Johnny Gaudreau finally solved Jake Oettinger, who was remarkable. He made 64 saves. Wow.
In overtime, the Pens got a couple of chances early from secondary players. I yelled at the TV that if they were going to lose, let it be a star player.
After two nervous saves from Shesterkin, Miller made the play of the game. Able to anticipate a pass at the Ranger blue line, he stole the puck and broke in on Jarry. McGinn was forced to hold Miller leading to a penalty 2:55 in.
Following a timeout by Gallant, out came the vaunted top unit. It hadn’t gotten it done all game. It didn’t look like they would flip the script.
To the Pens’ credit, they limited them to two shots with Jarry stopping a long Panarin try and then making a good save on Strome. But on some good hustle that kept the puck alive, they finally worked the puck up to Fox. He then passed to Panarin.
With time winding down on the five-on-four, he waited and then finally fired a wrist shot that beat Jarry high glove at 4:44 of overtime. After it was scored, I was motionless. I couldn’t believe it. They won!
I had no energy left. Maybe that is true amongst our chat group on Twitter. I mean this was an exhausting game to watch. No wonder it took me so long to recover and finally recap it.
When they needed it most, the power play came through when it mattered most. They showed enough patience and poise. Zibanejad also won three draws. He was instrumental. He got the secondary assist.
For as much criticism as I gave Fox and Panarin, they stayed in the fight to help this team win its first series in five long years. It didn’t come easy. It wasn’t supposed to.
I’m so proud of this team. Yes. They were outplayed by a tough Pens team. They caught breaks due to Jarry not being available along with Dumoulin missing the final six games. Plus Crosby missing Game Six.
However, that’s part of the playoffs. Don’t forget they were without Barclay Goodrow after Game One. They won’t have him back for the Hurricanes series. He’s a key player.
They don’t come back from a 3-1 series deficit for a third straight time in their playoff history without Lindgren being a warrior and Motte returning. That was huge.
It isn’t possible without Zibanejad and Kreider stepping up in the final two games. Shesterkin was better in the last two with him returning to Vezina form last night. Finally, he made the difference in the goalie department.
A hard-fought series against some of the very best.
Since this is already exceedingly long, I want to thank the readers. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. This was a joy to do. Playoff hockey is back. Wow.
How many times does a key player get hurt in a playoff series and nobody has any clue when they’re returning? Way too often.
The lack of transparency from coaches is counterproductive. It leaves teams guessing about their availability for a big game. It also doesn’t help the media who covers the sport, leaving fans guessing.
Take tonight’s deciding Game Seven. The Rangers will host the Penguins at Madison Madison Square Garden later. Start time is shortly after 7 PM.
It’s do or die for both sides. Winner advances. The loser goes home. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. Seventh games generate plenty of excitement.
The fans are ready. If only we knew what will happen. That’s the unknown. It’s what makes Game Seven great theater. No matter the sport, drama will unfold with high stakes.
While it’s great to watch, it would be nice if teams were more forthcoming on the status of key players. During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the physicality intensifies as players do battle.
That can lead to injuries like the one Sidney Crosby suffered during the second period of Game Five. On a tough play, the Pens’ star center took a check from Jacob Trouba who caught him high while going for the puck. After taking a couple of more shifts, he exited the game.
The Rangers would rally for a 5-3 win to stave off elimination on home ice. Afterwards, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan termed the injury to Crosby as “upper-body.”
This is something we’ve been accustomed to. They are never specific when discussing what’s wrong with a player. Even in a world full of gambling and absurd prop bets, there’s no transparency. It’s par for the course.
The dishonesty exhibited by coaches allows them to gain an edge headed into a must win game like tonight’s Game Seven. Gamesmanship is a topic nobody ever brings up. Maybe they should.
Following the Pens’ optional skate this morning in which most players didn’t participate, Sullivan gave the press nothing. In regards to Tristan Jarry, who is likely to return to their net tonight, he called him a game-time decision. Ditto for Crosby and Rickard Rakell.
Despite plenty of hints that both Jarry and Crosby will suit up, the experienced Stanley Cup winning coach wouldn’t tip his hand. Why? Because the NHL allows him to. They won’t do anything to change it.
Whether it’s during the season where Gerard Gallant called an injury to Kaapo Kakko day-to-day at one point (it wasn’t) or in the postseason, the lack of honesty is a disservice to those covering the teams. It is frustrating for fans who can’t get any information.
You’d think the way they hide the status of key players that it was in direct correlation to the Warren Commission. Or the preposterous Magic Bullet Theory. This isn’t the CIA or FBI.
It’s disappointing that you are left guessing whether your favorite players will play in such a big game. Fortunately, I know someone who told me the true status of the key Pens for tonight’s seventh game.
The lying isn’t good for the sport. It wasn’t always that way. But in a world of social media where there are so many false rumors spread (Tony DeAngelo), they’re very careful not to spill the beans.
What does it mean for the Rangers, who will be an underdog despite winning the last two elimination games and playing at home? Nothing.
If they’re truly the better T-E-A-M, they’ll prove it on the ice. That means playing their best game of the series. Especially at five-on-five. An area that’s been suspect.
It means winning enough key face-offs and defending better in front of Igor Shesterkin. It also means getting off to a better start. No matter if Crosby and Jarry play, they have one job to do. The best players must show up. Paging Artemi Panarin.
Win. It’s that simple. A victory would allow them to advance to the second round where the Hurricanes await after taking their Game Seven over the Bruins 3-2 yesterday.
As far as the ill communication coming from the Pens’ end, screw it. The task remains the same. Get it done.
Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider were the heroes of another heart stopping comeback win. The Rangers rallied from a two-goal deficit to stun the Penguins 5-3 in Game Six. Game Seven is Sunday at MSG. AP Photo by New York Rangers via Getty Images
It’s going seven! The best words when it comes to playoff hockey. The Rangers dug very deep to pull out a hard fought 5-3 win to take Game Six over the Penguins in enemy territory.
Chris Kreider stunned everyone when he scored his second goal of the game from long distance, beating Louis Domingue off his glove with 1:28 left in regulation. His clutch game-winner at 18:32 of the third period broke a 3-3 tie to silence a crowd of 18,342 at PPG Paints Arena.
Andrew Copp sealed the big victory with an empty netter at 19:33. Igor Shesterkin delivered when it counted by making eight saves in a tense final period to pick-up his first ever road postseason win.
He held up well by making several clutch stops in a hostile environment that taunted him with the familiar, “Ig-or, Ig-or, Ig-or”, chants throughout. Shesterkin finished the do or die game with 31 saves on 34 shots.
For a second consecutive game, the Rangers fell behind 2-0 against an experienced opponent. Playing without Sidney Crosby, the Pens broke open a scoreless tie by exploding for the game’s first two goals over 1:36 late in the first period.
It sure looked like that experience would be enough for them to wrap up the best-of-seven first round series. But once again, like Jason on Friday The 13th, the Rangers wouldn’t go quietly. Credit their resilience and heart for digging out of another early two-goal deficit to win another elimination game.
It’s hard to believe how they won it. If you watched, you know why. That third period was very intense. Nobody wanted to make a mistake. It was the way you see such tightly contested games in the playoffs get decided.
It sure looked like it was headed to overtime. But following a key defensive play from Tyler Motte who Gerard Gallant stuck out for a late shift on the first line, Adam Fox turned the play up to Mika Zibanejad. What happened next was unbelievable.
A simple Zibanejad drop for Kreider allowed him enough breathing room to get off a wrist shot from distance that went off Domingue’s glove and took a fortunate Rangers bounce to give them a 4-3 lead.
Zibanejad had a great night. It was his two straight goals that drew the Rangers even 1:16 apart in a much better played second period. He first connected on the power play only five seconds in when he buried a Ryan Strome feed for a one-timer that gave him his first of the series.
Mika Zibanejad scored two goals in a span of 1:16 to tie the game. Per @PR_NHL, the last Rangers player to score twice in that span or faster in a playoff game was Don Maloney (0:26 in Game 3 of 1979 QF).
On a dominant shift at five-on-five, Zibanejad then bombed another one-timer off an Adam Fox pass by a screened Domingue to tie the score. After having a very quiet first five games, Zibanejad was the best player on the ice. He had two goals and two assists in a memorable four-point effort.
Give Zibanejad a ton of credit. It had been a tough series for him having to go up against the Crosby line. Did it help that Crosby was out? Absolutely. However, Gallant flipped the script by changing the match-up. He had the Artemi Panarin line go up against Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust.
Getting the Zibanejad line away from the vaunted Penguins top line with Malkin filling in for Crosby, freed up the Rangers’ best line for offense. A move that had to be made by Gallant to counter Mike Sullivan. In these series, match-ups matter. Gallant finally got a favorable one that paid off.
Another key area they won was the special teams. It proved large. While the Penguins failed on one 67-second five-on-three during a crucial point of the second, the Rangers converted twice in three chances. So, they went 2-for-3 while the Pens took the collar in three chances. A monumental difference.
Coach Sullivan: “Both teams had momentum throughout the course of the game. The special teams were the difference. We’ve got to be better on the power play. We’ve got to be better on the penalty kill.” pic.twitter.com/n0BpP06yzg
A lot can be said about why there’ll be a deciding Game Seven at MSG on Sunday night. Start time will be 7 PM. So, we will again have the same time for the puck drop.
At this critical point, it’s who wants it more. These kind of big games come down to heart and guts. The Rangers have shown plenty the last two games to reach this point. It’s not about skill. But about will. How far are they willing to go to advance to the next round? We’re about to find out.
For those history experts, no. What happened in 2014 doesn’t mean anything. Ditto for 2015. However, you know they have the one player left from those teams who understands what it takes to complete a 3-1 comeback.
Kreider sure delivered tonight by scoring twice including his stunning game-winner to send this series back to Manhattan all even. It’s no coincidence that he and sidekick Zibanejad came through in the clutch.
Kreider on Mika:
"I think the playoffs sometimes can reveal who you are and the kind of character you have… He's been an absolute horse. He's been our engine and you knew it was gonna turn for him and you knew he was gonna have his moment – and he's certainly not done."#NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) May 14, 2022
They’re the only holdovers from 2017. The last time this team made the playoffs. You know they don’t want it to end. Most encouraging is that since that 7-2 drubbing in Game Four that put them in a 3-1 hole, there are a lot of Blueshirts who want the season to continue.
It’s that tremendous character that has defined this team all year long. They are the comeback kids for a reason. All those comeback wins helped them rally to win Games Five and Six. If they want to complete the trifecta, it’s advisable for them to get off to a better start on Sunday.
Prior to the game, it was revealed that there would be one lineup change. After being cleared to play, Motte was indeed in for Friday night. Gallant went back to the conventional 12 forwards, six defensemen with Patrik Nemeth coming out. He might have reached Julien Gauthier status in this series.
Meanwhile, the Pens made one change with Drew O’Connor coming in for the injured Crosby. The status of defenseman Brian Dumoulin hadn’t changed. Neither has it for Rickard Rakell. Jarry practiced for the fourth time. You have to think he’ll play Game Seven.
Following the opening face-off, Guentzel got off a quick low wrist shot to immediately test Shesterkin, who shut it down. He did get a quick whistle with Guentzel reaching in. He was met with resistance from K’Andre Miller and booing target Jacob Trouba.
The Pens fans had already amped up the sing-song “Ig-or, Ig-or, Ig-or!”, chants. While he did his best to block it out, the Rangers struggled in the early going.
That included the Pens getting their top line on against the Zibanejad line. They spent an extended shift in the Rangers zone. Zibanejad, Kreider, Frank Vatrano, Justin Braun and Braden Schneider were pinned in for over two minutes. They even iced the puck twice.
Somehow, the five-man unit survived the near two and a half minute shift without the Penguins getting a single shot through on Shesterkin. A good defensive play from Schneider got a key clear to finally allow them to change.
When the third line came on, Trouba took a heavy hit from Brian Boyle. But it was Boyle who shortly exited and didn’t return. His status for Game Seven is uncertain. Sullivan noted that he was being evaluated for an “upper-body” injury.
On that same shift, Trouba made a good pinch to get a good scoring chance in the slot. But his shot missed wide. It would be a harbinger of things to come for him. To put it mildly, he wasn’t good.
Following that miss, Ryan Lindgren took a Brock McGinn hit. He then lost his footing and went down to the ice. With the warrior clearly in pain, some Pens fans thought it was a good idea to cheer. Utterly ridiculous. Did any of our fans cheer when Crosby left the other night?
Penguins fans cheering an injury. And they’re the classy ones they said. Got it.
— The Garden Faithful (@GardenFaithful) May 13, 2022
I’m only going to say this once. I have zero tolerance for fans who celebrate injuries. If you do, you are an embarrassment. It’s a sport. Not life. I wish more people grasped that concept.
Afterwards, Kevin Rooney earned the game’s first penalty when he interfered with the pesky McGinn. The Pens didn’t do much either their first man-advantage. Shesterkin made a long stop on Malkin.
Then, the reformed combo of Andrew Copp and Motte created a shorthanded chance. After Lindgren sent a tough high shot off the blocker of Domingue, Motte’s hard work led to a Copp shorthanded bid that Domingue denied. He got a little help. Otherwise, it’s a goal.
Following a Rooney block, Alexis Lafreniere got a couple of hits on a shift. Jason Zucker finished a check on Trouba to the delight of the Pittsburgh crowd. The Pens made it a point to go after Trouba. It worked.
Off a face-off win from Jeff Carter, the Penguins went to work against the Panarin line with Miller and Trouba. They were relentless. After saves from Shesterkin on McGinn, Marcus Pettersson and Carter, Kasperi Kapanen got a tough backhand on that rebounded to Carter for the game’s first goal with 5:48 remaining.
All five Rangers stood around and watched. Nobody took anyone. It was tremendous pressure from the Pens’ third line who finally got rewarded for their effort.
With under five minutes left, Sullivan got a favorable match-up by getting the Malkin line out versus the Chytil line. It was a mismatch.
After Shesterkin denied Guentzel point blank, a big Rust hit behind the net forced Chytil to cough up the puck. He passed across for an easy Rust finish that made it 2-0 with 4:12 to go.
IN RUST WE TRUST… Especially in elimination games.
Since entering the league, @rustyyy_92 has scored 11 goals in 23 elimination games (games where Pittsburgh could clinch a series OR was facing elimination). pic.twitter.com/5yQRWh4psK
Just like that, the Pens scored two goals over a 1:36 span. With the building rocking, the Blueshirts were in the exact same dire situation they were on Wednesday. The biggest difference is it was in enemy territory.
At that point, having seen the continued soft play that has plagued them throughout this series, I wondered if the season would end in a whimper. Had the Pens been able to get the next goal to go up three, it would have.
Domingue made his best save of the period when he was able to poke check Strome to deny his forehand deke in tight. That close. The problem was that despite getting a dozen shots on net, Domingue was making the saves. He wasn’t under duress. It was a lot of one and done.
In the final minute, that third goal almost came. Following a big save on McGinn, Shesterkin was helpless on a wide open Pens’ opportunity. John Marino had the game on his stick. Fortunately, he missed wide with 28 seconds left. It could’ve been lights out had he buried it.
The Rangers needed to show urgency. At the start of the second period, we got an answer. Starting to raise their level, they began to win some puck battles which created early looks.
Meanwhile, Shesterkin made the key stops when he had to including a big one on Evan Rodrigues. On what had been a lousy shift by the Panarin line, Lindgren delivered a hard check on Rodrigues along the boards. Unnerved, he retaliated by cross-checking Lindgren right in the face.
They called it two minutes for roughing. While the crowd cried over a good call that had to be made, Zibanejad gave them a better reason to scream. After winning an offensive draw back to Fox, he got open in the slot and buried a Strome feed five seconds into the power play.
Predictably, Sullivan sent his number one unit out following the goal. Shesterkin made a pair of saves on Malkin and Rust. That proved crucial.
Able to get the top line against the Carter line for a shift, the strategy worked for Gallant. On some good sustained pressure, Lindgren worked the puck up for Fox. He then passed across for a wicked Zibanejad one-timer that beat Domingue at 6:21 to tie the score.
What a rocket. Two Zibanejad goals over 1:16 turned the game around with an assist from Rodrigues. That quickly, the game was tied.
A critical point came when after Domingue stopped Kaapo Kakko on a tough shot short side, Zibanejad was under pressure and tried to clear the puck. Instead, he sent it directly out for a delay of game minor.
Shesterkin made a gigantic pad save to deny Guentzel on a tricky tip-in. Following a clear, you couldn’t even feel good thanks to a baffling Rooney tripping minor on Guentzel in the neutral zone.
With the fans going wild, Sullivan took his timeout to give his top power play unit a breather. They had a five-on-three for 67 seconds. Connect and it really could’ve been the beginning of the end.
Instead, the three-man penalty kill unit of Copp, Lindgren and Trouba made some huge defensive plays to hold the Pens to only a long Malkin shot after Zibanejad got out of the box. It was an incredible effort.
Then, Zibanejad got a clean breakaway. His shorthanded bid for a natural hat trick saw his backhand ring off the crossbar and out. That close. The Rangers killed the remainder of the leftover time on the Rooney minor.
A few minutes later, Mike Matheson caught Vatrano up high with an errant stick cutting him. As Vatrano went to the locker room for repairs, a double minor for high-sticking was called on Matheson.
In what amounted to the play of the game, Shesterkin silenced his fans by making a great outlet pass up the ice that sent Zibanejad in on another breakaway. This time, his high shot went off the glove of Domingue right to Kreider for an easy put away to give the Rangers the lead with 6:12 left.
IGOR SHESTERKIN, HOW ABOUT THAT APPLE?! 🍎 #StanleyCup
But just when you were getting comfortable, the Rangers failed to cash in on the second part of the double minor. Then, a lousy Trouba turnover allowed Malkin to break in and beat Shesterkin for an unassisted goal that tied it once more less than three minutes later.
Just brutal. Trouba made a bad pass that handcuffed Miller. The puck went behind allowing Malkin to cut in and score his third of the series with 3:24 left.
It could’ve been even worse. Gallant decided to stick his checking line out for a shift. During it, Ryan Reaves absolutely leveled Kapanen from behind. It should’ve been two minutes for boarding. He was down. Luckily, there was no call. I can’t explain how.
On the next face-off in the neutral zone, both Vatrano and Zucker went at each other. Both were sent off for unsportsmanlike conducts with 3:03 to go.
During the four-on-four, each side had chances. Domingue stopped Kreider, who also went way wide on another attempt. Shesterkin denied Guentzel, who always is dangerous due to how he plays. He also missed one wide from a better area.
Strome nearly had one late. But his shot short side was covered up by a shaky Domingue. He had the best opportunities on that line at even strength.
With their season once again hanging in the balance, the Rangers needed to win a period to stay alive. It almost needed overtime. Something I wanted no part of.
Shots were harder to come by. The Pens were the aggressor. They were a bit better on the attack due to pinching their D. Shesterkin continued to get the Ig-or chant. But he never buckled.
There weren’t many clean chances. The best one came when Rust had an open side in the slot. Somehow, he missed. That missed chance came back to haunt the Pens.
The best save Shesterkin made in the third was when he denied a Carter wraparound. He held strong in the most anxiety ridden period of the season.
Domingue had to make two saves on Lafreniere and Kakko. As the clock got closer to the end, it looked like sudden death was destiny on Friday The 13th. Just maybe luck was on the Rangers’ side.
Both Copp and Strome won big face-offs in the defensive zone. Face-offs have been an issue during the series. The Pens still were in control winning 32 of 55. Malkin went 13-and-8. Carter was 11-and-7. Zibanejad won 7 of 17. Chytil actually was their best going 5-and-3. Go figure.
With time winding down, Kapanen sent a shot wide. Then Motte, who replaced Vatrano on the Zibanejad line, made a key defensive play. He got in the way of a Pens’ chance and finished a check on Pettersson. That allowed the Rangers to transition the other way.
Fox moved the puck up for Zibanejad, who gained the Pittsburgh zone. He made a simple drop pass for Kreider and drove to the net.
Kreider let go of a long slap shot that might’ve ticked off someone. It then went off the glove of Domingue, popped in the air and went in for the unbelievable game-winning goal with 1:28 remaining.
Incredible. Improbable. Unthinkable. It was a terrible goal for Domingue to allow at such a crucial moment. Instead of contemplating a nerve racking overtime, the Rangers led 4-3.
Without a timeout, the Pens lifted Domingue for a six-on-four with over a minute to go. Following a wide Malkin shot, a defensive draw resulted in a Fox clear leading Rooney to set up Copp for an empty net goal at 19:33.
Another exhale. This was even better than Game Five. Considering the circumstances, it isn’t easy to come back the way they did. They finally won on the road in this series.
Now, it’s going seven. Can we handle yet another do or die scenario? This one is different. The winner moves on. The loser is left to wonder what went wrong all summer long.
It doesn’t get any bigger. Game Seven is where heroes are made. Regardless whether Crosby can play which doesn’t seem likely, the Pens are formidable. They’ve proven that depending on a third string goalie.
By now, we understand that it won’t come easy. It’s great to have the seventh and deciding game at The Garden. There’ll be five Game Seven’s in the first round. That’s how competitive it is. Three will be played on Saturday. Two on Sunday.
Heart and guts. This is what it’s all about. The Rangers are here because they don’t give up. Now, we find out even more about this group. Let’s try to enjoy it. It’s exciting. Even if it might make some nauseous, it doesn’t get any better than this.
I can’t wait. Let’s Go!!!!!
THREE STARS 🌟 🤩 ✨️
3rd 🌟 Adam Fox NYR 4 assists (3, 4, 5, 6), points in all 6 games, 1 SOG, 5 attempts, 2 blocks, +1 in 24:46
2nd 🌟 Chris Kreider NYR 2 goals (3, 4) including clutch game-winner with 1:28 left in regulation, 6 SOG, 8 attempts, +2 in 19:26
1st 🌟 Mika Zibanejad NYR 2 goals (1st, 2nd), 2 assists (4, 5), 6 SOG, +2 in 19:06
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Derek
Battle Of Hudson 
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