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10 worst Rangers playoffs moments of the past decade, part 2

By Jake Mozarsky

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 13: Alec Martinez #27 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime against goaltender Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers to give the Kings the 3-2 victory during Game Five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center on June 13, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 13: Alec Martinez #27 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime against goaltender Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers to give the Kings the 3-2 victory during Game Five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center on June 13, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MAY 29: Ben Bishop #30 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates with teammate Nikita Kucherov (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

3. 2015 Conference Finals, Game 7: Lightning eliminate Rangers with a shutout

Coming off of a Stanley Cup Final appearance, 2015 was an exciting year for New York. They definitely did not have a hangover, and they won the Presidents’ Trophy with 113 points. There were some new faces (Kevin Hayes, Keith Yandle, Dan Boyle) that joined a Cup contending squad.

The Rangers demolished the Penguins 4-1 in the opening round then clawed back from a 3-1 deficit against the Washington Capitals to win on a Game Seven overtime goal from Derek Stepan. Ranger fans were feeling very good.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, they went up against the Tampa Bay Lightning. This team was not as talented, but they had some familiar faces in Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle and Anton Stralman, along with firepower at forward in Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson. Along with that, they had a large man in goal in Ben Bishop.

This series was crazy, and the only way for me to explain it in full capacity is a game by game summary.

Game 1: Rangers win 2-1. Dominic Moore scored with 2 minutes left.

Game 2: Lightning win 6-2. Tyler Johnson had a hat trick.

Game 3: Lightning win 6-5 in overtime. A back and forth game sealed by Nikita Kucherov. Lundqvist’s worst game of the playoffs.

Game 4: Rangers win 5-1. Absolute domination.

Game 5: Lighting win 2-0. The Blueshirts could not get anything going.

Game 6: Rangers win 7-3. Derrick Brassard had a hat trick and the Rangers looked great.

Everything was in the Rangers’ favor for Game Seven. The Rangers had outscored the Lightning 12-6 over the past three games. It was a second straight series with a seventh game at home where they had won six of 10 playoff games. Many thought the Lightning blew their shot to cement their place in the Stanley Cup Final.

The truth is, they did not. The Rangers were crippled by numerous injuries. Ryan McDonagh was skating on a fractured foot. Mats Zuccarello was out with a severe head injury. Dan Girardi had a sprained knee and Marc Staal had a hairline ankle fracture.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Despite that, this game was all Rangers for the first 10 minutes, but they would not shoot the puck. Then, it was all Lightning, and though they actually shot it, they just could not score. The second period was back and forth but nobody could find a goal. The third period broke all Rangers fans’ hearts.

Not even two minutes in, Alex Killorn scored on a backhand to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Ondřej Palát scored with eight minutes left to give them a 2-0 lead. No matter what New York did, they could not score. They ended up losing 2-0.

This game leaves a sour taste in Rangers fan’s mouths because they lost despite being the best offensive team in the league and the Presidents’ Trophy winners. The Stanley Cup competition from the Western Conference was the Chicago Blackhawks, a team the Rangers swept during the regular season. New Yorkers thought that this was their chance.

It wasn’t. Not if you can’t take care of business in Game Seven at home.

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