New York Rangers Must Exploit the Senators Bottom-Four Defenseman to Even Series
The New York Rangers are down 1-0 in their series against the Ottawa Senators. Outside of perennial Norris Trophy candidate Erik Karlsson, the Senators’ defense is young, hurt, and exposable. Although the team may be having trouble scoring goals, they have a golden opportunity in front of them.
The New York Rangers second round matchup with the Ottawa Senators is underway. Following a loss in game one, there’s plenty for the Rangers to feel optimistic about moving forward. However, the Rangers need to make adjustments moving forward, and they must focus on exploiting their opponents’ weaknesses.
The Senators boast a perennial Norris Trophy candidate in Erik Karlsson. He plays in every situation as the team’s captain and on-ice leader, logging ice time north of 30 minutes on a regular basis. Perhaps most impressive, Karlsson has done all this while playing on multiple
hairline fractures in his left heel.
Alongside veteran Dion Phaneuf, these two are the team’s top options on the defensive end. They have done the heavy lifting to this point in the early stages of the playoffs. However, outside of the workhorse duo, Ottawa’s defensive group is beatable, and provides a clear advantage for the Rangers.
The Second Pairing
Leading the group of Ottawa’s second-tier defensemen is NHL veteran Marc Methot and former first-round pick Cody Ceci. Each of these players has endured hardship leading up the the playoffs. Most notably, Methot suffered a gruesome hand injury on a Sidney Crosby slash back in March.
In game one, Methot was noticeably overmatched by the Rangers speed. He also seemed unwilling to clear his goaltenders crease of any Rangers willing to park themselves near him. Meanwhile, Ceci is playing perhaps the worst hockey of any player on the Senators’ otherwise young defense.
The Third Pairing
The Senators’ third pairing is made up of two of those young, inexperienced defensemen. Frederick Claesson is 24 years old and only appeared in just 33 games for Ottawa this season. Meanwhile Ben Harpur is the youngest defenseman on either team at 22 years old. He dressed in six games during the regular season for the Senators.
Another aspect of the Harpur-Claesson pairing that the Rangers will look to exploit is their mobility. Look for head coach Alain Vigneault to deploy his fourth line with ease to wear down this group for the team’s bigger players. Power forwards Rick Nash and Jimmy Vesey come to mind for players eager to exploit a tired pairing.
If the Rangers intend to capitalize on every opportunity, they must do so when the Senators’ best player is unavailable. The team must start by creating turnovers in the offensive zone and overloading this Ottawa defense with speed and skill at every turn.
Up to this point in the playoffs, some Rangers have been uncharacteristically passive. Dominant regular season players such as Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes continue to opt for perimeter shots and low-percentage passes instead of attacking Ottawa’s defense head on.
Next: New York Rangers’ Brady Skjei Deserves More Trust
When game two starts, those players and the entire Rangers’ offense need to take their game to the next level. They have been gifted one of the easier defense’s available in the playoff pool. Taking advantage of that matchup could earn them a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.