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New York Rangers Must Prepare For Thunder And Lightning In Game Two

By Steven Carollo

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New York Rangers might have won Game 1, but overall the Tampa Bay Lightning looked flat.  Guarantee the Lightning bring the thunder and lighting in Game 2.

The New York Rangers played a more than solid Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday afternoon vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning.  A Game 1 in which the Rangers won by a very familiar 2-1 final score.

New York Rangers
New York Rangers /

New York Rangers

Game 2, however, will be different.  The Lightning looked very flat in Game 1 and the Rangers just seemed to be one step ahead of them throughout the series opener.  The Lightning realize that they did not play up to their standards in
Game 1 and because of this I feel you will see a lot more offense generated by the Lightning this evening at 8 P.M., in
Game 2 between the Rangers and Lightning at Madison Square Garden.  A game in which the Rangers are going to have to prepare and brace themselves for the thunder and lightning the Bolts will bring tonight.

Remember, this is a Lightning team that led the entire NHL this season in goals, so it is safe to say that it is very hard to consistently hold this team to just one goal per game, even if you have a defense like the Rangers do.

Also remember, that in the 2nd round vs. the Washington Capitals, the Rangers won Game 2 at home for the first time in two decades.  So what are the odds that the Rangers win Game 2 at home for the 2nd straight series?

Does not seem likely but maybe the Rangers could be long overdue?  What do I mean by this?  Well, the last time the Rangers won both Game 1 and Game 2 at home was in a year all Rangers’ fans love, 1994, in the 2nd round of the playoffs vs. the Capitals.

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So the odds are really what you make of them.  On one hand, the Rangers winning Game 2 tonight seems highly unlikely because they just won Game 2 at home last series, which was the first time the Rangers won a Game 2 at home in two decades.  On the other hand, you could make a case that the Rangers are due to win Game 2 tonight at home, since the last time the Rangers won both
Game 1 and Game 2 at home was 21 years ago in 1994, the year the Rangers last won the Stanley Cup.

Odds aside, I know for a fact that the Lightning will up their game tonight after looking flat in Game 1, so winning or losing Game 2 is ultimately up to how well the Rangers can weather the storm.

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