New York Rangers: Five reasons why the Rangers can win the series
The Rangers find themselves in a 2-0 series deficit headed back home against the Ottawa Senators. While it may look bleak, there’s still reason to be hopeful the Rangers can stun the Senators and advance.
Whether you have faith in this Rangers team or not, the beauty of the Stanley Cup playoffs is that anything is possible. It takes four games to win a series. This situation is not new to the franchise or its fans, as we all know the Rangers will never make it easy.
The Rangers will have to overcome their weaknesses in the first two games regardless. However, to breathe some life into the cynics, here are five reasons the Rangers can pleasantly surprise us again.
5.) Key Forwards Have Found Their Touch
A major concern going into this series was the Rangers top scorers having gone ice cold through the first round series versus Montreal. Even then, the Rangers lone goal in Game 1 was from Ryan McDonagh. However, there’s reason to believe the dry spell may be over for a few Rangers after Game 2.
Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider both finally got the monkey off their backs with goals after both having rough times when creating offense in previous efforts. Mika Zibanejad has looked alive lately after a slow start to the postseason, now leading the Rangers in playoff points with six. Jesper Fast has been fantastic on the forecheck, and Rick Nash continues to pepper the goalie with shots with 30 in 8 games.
Now even with these efforts, the Rangers still badly need Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller to find the gas pedal and get back to production. The best teams find ways to get contributions when their best scorers are cold, and with players like Stepan and Kreider breaking through, all may be okay.
4.) Henrik Lundqvist Can Stop The Bleeding
Henrik Lundqvist has been lights out all postseason. He was stellar in Game 1, making 41 saves, and despite the six goals in Game 2, his postseason save percentage is still at .933. Clearly, the Rangers are not the best defensive team remaining in these playoffs, but with the way Lundqvist has appeared locked in, six goals against is not going to be a regularity.
The key is to make sure Lundqvist doesn’t have to play out of his mind every night, but it is comforting to know that your goaltender is very well capable of stealing games when you need him to, even at age 35. Lundqvist has stolen series for the Rangers before, and often, and he can still commit larceny again.
3.) Brady Skjei Is Breaking Out On The Big Stage
Brady Skjei pleasantly surprised Rangers fans this season on both sides of the ice. Skjei put up 5 goals and 39 points during the regular season and became arguably the Rangers second best defenseman behind Ryan McDonagh.
Skjei leads all Rangers these playoffs in goals with 4 and has quickly become the Rangers secret weapon. Him and Brendan Smith have complemented each other greatly with Skjei benefitting by showing the hockey world that he is special. Brady Skjei can be the name that haunts Senators fans’ dreams for years to come.
2.) Back At The Garden
The Rangers find themselves in a pickle down 2-0, but in the second round of the playoffs, the Garden Faithful will still be anxious to rock the joint heading into Game 3.
The Rangers killed off the narrative of their home playoff woes, taking care of the Canadiens in critical Games 4 and 6 last round. It’s now the Senators turn to play in a hostile environment. Fully expect the media to bring up Ottawa’s record at Madison Square Garden, but make no mistake, the regular season means nothing now.
The Rangers will still have to give the fans something to be rowdy about, but playing on home ice can only be a positive for the Rangers at this stage.
1.) No Strangers To Comebacks
In recent playoff runs, Rangers fans have seen their team do the improbable and stun the opposition. It’s in the team’s identity at this point, as history is bound to repeat itself.
2013: The Rangers come back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Washington Capitals in 7 games.
2014: Down 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Rangers rally and shock the hockey world.
2015: Down 3-1 to the Washington Capitals to only crush the Capitals’ souls in 7 games.
The common theme for all of those series is that Henrik Lundqvist kept his composure and stood tall. Players such as Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh played key roles in these underdog stories.
Next: New York Rangers’ Debacle: Don’t Blame Henrik Lundqvist
Rangers fans are far too familiar with series comebacks to give up now. Each series listed above became increasingly more surprising when it came to the final result, it would only be fitting if this particular team confused and shocked us once again.