New York Rangers Spoil Opportunity
As Michael Sullivan boasts the Penguins victory and the impact Matt Cullen had in the offensive zone for the Penguins, the New York Rangers lack of offensive production left many fans scratching their heads. The above video also showcases what Ryan McDonagh thought about the Blueshirts failure to create scoring opportunities, which were few and far between.
If you didn’t watch the game last night, you better sit down. The New York Rangers were only able to muster up 17 shots on goal last night, a game in which they saw four man advantages. If that doesn’t sit well with you, you are not alone.
The New York Rangers were out shot by the Penguins by a total of 31-17. That’s right, the team that scored four goals Saturday accumulated a whopping 17 shots on goal, not in a single period or at the half way point, the entire game. This was all going on at the same game their opponents were only three shots shy of doubling the Rangers total.
Due to in huge part to this single statistic, Pittsburgh was able to skate out of MSG with a win. Worst of all, this lull in production was not because the Rangers lacked the opportunities to shoot, because they had plenty, instead it seemed as though the Blueshirts were too cute with the puck and were on the look out for the “perfect shot”.
News flash, it is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, no one will see a perfect shot. Especially the Rangers, who ground their way through the second half of the regular season, have a less than stellar power play and just saw their captain skate for the first time this postseason.
Power Plays, so you mean there is an advantage?
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As stated earlier, the New York Rangers were unable to score on any one of their four power play opportunities and this does not come as a surprise. Their power play struggled for most of the regular season and that seems to have carried over into the playoffs.
Their inability to maintain the offensive zone on man advantages is disheartening and it is a major issue that needs to be fixed. However, it would be foolish to think this will magically improve during the post season, so there is no point in harping on that now, but o for 4, wow.
New York Rangers vs Penguins 2nd/3rd String Goalies
What does need attention and what does need an immediate adjustment is the Rangers offensive production. They have lost to the Penguins twice now, which leaves the Blueshirts down two games to one and each loss has been handed to them by backup goaltenders.
When the New York Rangers dominated Game Two, in Pittsburgh it looked as if they were going to come home to MSG with a full head of steam and they did. They came out flying. It was one of the quickest paced playoff games I can remember watching and that was encouraging.
More encouraging, the Rangers were even able to score first, twice. They scored on a power play that was deemed offsides by a coach’s challenge, but they came right back. Rick Nash went top cheese on Mathew Murray during a shorthanded breakaway to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead early in the second period.
However, after this goal and the late period goal by Crosby that tied things up, the Rangers were unable to get much of anything going. Are the Penguins really that stacked in the net? Probably not, everything just comes back to their lack of shot production.
On the Flip Side: Nash, McDonagh & Lundqvist
The only positives that came after Nash’s goal were, the fact that Ryan McDonagh was able to log serious minutes, a team-high 22:48, without re-injuring his hand and Henrik Lundqvist looked like, well, Lundqvist.
Henrik Lundqvist will make his 112th consecutive playoff start for #NYR, dating to Game 3 of 1st round in 2006, his rookie season.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) April 16, 2016
Henrik was able to stop 28 of the 31 shots he faced and I do not fault him whatsoever for either one of the shots that got by. The Crosby goal was the byproduct of an extremely well placed puck that Kessel threw back door to Sidney, who was able to then tip it in. This goal was only made possible because of a poor penalty Marc Staal committed with only a minute left in the second period.
The Penguins second goal came on a play, in which, if you looked close enough, you could see Lundqvist’s teammates pinning him up on a close.
Matt Cullen recorded the third goal of the night when Dan Boyle and Keith Yandle decided to stop communicating and instead run into each other, which left Cullen with nothing but a puck an E-ZPass and the game winning goal.
Next: New York Rangers Lose as Nash and McDonagh Set the Tone
Game 4: A New York Rangers Must Win
Thursday nights game is a must win. The New York Rangers cannot afford to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead in the series and expect to take the next three games, or can they.
The Rangers and Penguins have played an incredible amount of postseason hockey against one another these past three years and yes, the Rangers did comeback down 3-1 in the series to beat the Penguins last year, but this isn’t 2014. This is a much different and much improved Penguins team.
The New York Rangers squandered an opportunity to take a 2-1 series lead at home. They have made their bed and now they need to win in order give themselves a chance to advance and play either the Flyers or, who am I kidding. Whoever wins this series is playing the Capitals, so buckle up. If they can manage to squeak by the Penguins, I hope we all have access to blood pressure medication.