New York Rangers: Never-say-die attitude helps to down Pens

You could never accuse this New York Rangers team of not competing hard and they fought until the very end in the 2018-19 season.

As they have done for large parts of their first full rebuilding year, the New York Rangers showed plenty of grit and determination in the season finale against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.

Although hardly ideal for the lottery standings, you can’t help but be impressed by the sheer character these Blueshirts have in abundance after overcoming a late goal to win it in overtime, thanks once again to Ryan Strome.

Perhaps the biggest epitome of the Rangers’ never-say-die attitude, though, has been Brendan Smith, who has enjoyed one hell of a resurgence in 2018-19.

After being frozen out for much of last season, the former Detroit Red Wings defenseman has benefitted from the fresh approach head coach David Quinn has brought to the table at Madison Square Garden.

Although he won’t set the world alight or create headlines that will hog the back pages, Smith is a solid and reliable figure in this very young New York locker room and his exemplary attitude this year should be a key learning point for any young stud or prospect.

Sat out at points as part of Quinn’s now famous tough love approach and then moved from the blueline to forward, Smith has never moaned and has instead set about keeping his head down and helping his team.

So it was fitting then that Smith was rewarded with 12:49 on the clock in the first period for the countless shifts he has put in whilst playing on the fourth line as a left-wing.

Seizing on a sloppy pass in the neutral zone from the Penguins’ Garrett Wilson, Smith displayed all the composure and skills of a natural forward to glide up the ice before launching a quick shot over the shoulder of Matt Murray.

That was the 30-year-old’s fourth goal of the season and the first unassisted tally of his long NHL career.

And it came after Sidney Crosby’s 35th goal and 99th point of the season had put the Penguins in front, the franchise center converting on a perfect feed from line-mate Jake Guentzel.

The two netminders were also doing their best to steal the show with both Matt Murray and Alexander Georgiev standing on their heads for their respective teams.

Murray – who has acted like an immovable object against the Blueshirts, going into tonight’s game 9-0 against NYR with a 1.98 goals against average and a .932 save percentage – came up big for the Penguins when they needed him to.

As did Georgiev for the Rangers with the 23-year-old emerging as the real deal this year when it comes to becoming the permanent heir to the throne when Henrik Lundqvist decides to hang up his skates.

Georgiev stopped 23 of the 24 shots fired at him and Murray stoned 22 of the 23 pucks flung in his direction to keep a competitive contest knotted at one apiece heading into the third period.

Despite not having anything to play for, apart from jostling for position in the lottery standings, the Rangers outshot Pittsburgh 12-9 in the second period and blocked twelve shots in total, further underlying their commitment to the cause.

They were playing with a boatload of energy against a Pens team who needed a win in order to secure home ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs – their 13th consecutive appearance in the postseason.

However, Pittsburgh is loaded with both talent and depth and they restored their lead thanks to a Nick Bjugstad tap-in after Georgiev was tricked by a deflected puck.

But, as was demonstrated throughout the game, the Rangers simply refused to give up and they made it a tied game late in the third thanks to a Brady Skjei tally, moments after Kevin Shattenkirk had rung one off the crossbar.

It was Skjei’s eighth goal of the season and it would have been a moment to cherish for Quinn, who will no doubt want to see more offense from his star defenseman.

And New York wasn’t done there, taking the lead thanks to Vladislav Namestnikov’s 11th goal and second shorthanded tally of the season, coupled with some sterling work on the penalty kill, with the Rangers making the Pens go 0-for-4 on the power play.

It was also the 15th time this season that Pittsburgh had allowed a shorthanded goal against them, tying them with the Boston Bruins for most in the league.

Rangers fans everywhere were praying for a loss with the lottery draft standings in mind, and they were halfway to getting their wish when Jake Guentzel made it a tied game yet again late on with his 40th goal of the year.

But, and as he did last month in Toronto, Strome came up clutch once again in overtime to send the Rangers into the offseason on a high note.

And, although the reaction to that winner was met with displeasure due to the implications it could have on the Rangers’ final standings in the lottery draft, there is a lot to be positive about when it comes to this current roster, the progress they’ve made and their mental strength heading into 2019-20.