New York Rangers’ Play Style Can Mean Playoff Success

The New York Rangers are behind to 2-1 to the Montreal Canadiens. But despite the lack of results in the series so far, the pieces are still in place to send the Rangers on to round two.

In game three on Sunday, the New York Rangers delivered one of their worst playoff performances in memory. While getting out-chanced, out-shot, and out-scored, they stuck to their game plan of playing the Montreal Canadiens’ brand of physical hockey.

It’s not working out.

But despite the early deficit in their first round series, the Rangers still have time to get to the second round. The pieces are there to make it happen, as long as head coach Alain Vigneault chooses to use them properly.

Instead of attempting to play Montreal’s heavy game against them, the Rangers need to rewind the tape. They have the ability to bury teams and advance in the playoffs if they look more like the November Rangers than the March Rangers.

Forward-Looking

A ray of hope shone on Monday when Vigneault had the Rangers practice lines jumbled. Pavel Buchnevich appears set to return to the lineup, reuniting with the “KZB Line” alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.

The trio also featured on the first power play unit during practice, which indicates that Tanner Glass may be coming out of the lineup. The fourth line in practice was Michael Grabner, Oscar Lindberg, and Jesper Fast.

While Glass has actually performed well in the three games so far, he should come out of the lineup due to style, not results. His presence in the lineup is solely because Vigneault wants the Rangers to play a hitting game instead of a creative game.

With four dangerous lines like this, built instead around speed, offensive creativity, and scoring ability, the Rangers need to change their game. By playing to their strengths instead of the Canadiens’ we could see a return to the halcyon late-2016, five-goals-per-game style.

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A Defensive Mess

On the other hand, the Rangers defensive pairs remain a disaster. Reports from practice on Monday indicate that Nick Holden will draw back in for Game Four, playing alongside Marc Staal. That pair has been problematic, to say the least.

Brady Skjei and Brendan Smith have formed the one effective defensive pair this series. Smith, in particular, has impressed with his transitional play and defense at the blue line. The duo was especially effective at denying zone entries to the Canadiens:

Meanwhile, Dan Girardi remains anchored to Ryan McDonagh, inhibiting the captain’s on-ice effectiveness. While Kevin Klein is not the answer (see: Game Three), pulling in Adam Clendening is exactly the kind of move the Rangers need to defeat the Canadiens’ neutral zone play.

Games Two and Three were riddled with plays in which Rangers defensemen turned the puck over on passes inside the blue line or just in the neutral zone. Holden, of course, was the main culprit, with one unpressured pass off the mark turning into a goal against in Game Two.

But Clendening’s skating and accurate passing makes him the kind of puck mover the Rangers can use. His power play prowess would also be a help for the anemic unit New York is currently icing.

Next: Rangers Fans Deserve Better

If Alai Vigneault makes the assumed adjustment to the forwards, the second round is still in reach. If by some stretch of the imagination he makes the proper moves on defense, it could be all but assured.