The New York Rangers are back in D.C., hoping to once again tie the series up against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
- Time: 7:00 pm EST
- Location: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
- Where to watch: NBCSN, CBC, TVA
It’s not over yet, folks. The Rangers are now trailing by one game in the series, at 3-2, versus the Capitals. The Rangers may potentially tie the series yet again, but can they pull it off on the road?
They’ve stayed with it through all sixty minutes in Game Five, and finally something good happened for the Blueshirts.
Kevin Hayes mentioned in an interview on NHL network that veteran leadership played a role in keeping the team positive, telling them to keep believing as the final five minutes ticked away, down 1-0.
Then what do you know: Chris Kreider saved the team from elimination, scoring the equalizer with less than two minutes left in regulation. Then Captain Ryan McDonagh buried a goal in overtime to win the game.
As mentioned in my last pre-game, the Captain’s performance affects the whole team more than any other player’s. And McDonagh’s goal is exactly what the Rangers need to help them stay positive through the next sixty minutes.
The Rangers have kept chugging along, despite the bad bounces and despite the frustration. Momentum has now shifted in New York’s favor and hopefully their hard work will continue to pay off going into Game Six.
New York Rangers
Looking to bounce back, the odds are in the Caps’ favor since they are going to have home ice advantage. They’ve won both home games in this series and if they should win tonight, they’ll close out the series in front of their fans.
It’s prime time to win but it’s also a lot to fight for and a lot of added pressure. There’s no doubt they’ll want to come out strong in the first period. But if the Rangers can counteract the Caps with their own fire power early on, it’ll definitely kill any momentum the home team is looking for. And considering that this is possibly an elimination game, the Rangers getting that first goal is now more important than ever.
Braden Holtby has been phenomenal in the Washington crease, but he started to show a few cracks late in Friday’s game. Is he going to be able to bounce back and get back his focus?
That’s something the Rangers should think about. They messed with Holtby (and by they, I mean Kreider), and seemingly threw off his game a little bit. Kreider also set up a perfect screen in front of him for McDonagh to score the game winning goal. If Kreider can continue to be a nuisance for Holtby, the Rangers might have a much greater chance of winning tonight.
Next: St. Louis Needs to Step Up his Leadership
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