Blue Line Station
Fansided

Gallant: “We gotta play our game”

By Steve Paulus

Jan 22, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant watches the action from the bench during the third period against the Arizona Coyotes at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant watches the action from the bench during the third period against the Arizona Coyotes at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 13: Ryan McDonagh #27, John Moore #17 and Martin St. Louis #26, all of the New York Rangers, take the ice for pre game warmups before playing the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 13, 2014 at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 13: Ryan McDonagh #27, John Moore #17 and Martin St. Louis #26, all of the New York Rangers, take the ice for pre game warmups before playing the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 13, 2014 at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

History

The most important fact is that the Rangers have no history in the last four seasons, missing the playoffs every year.   As for the Penguins, they made it to the second round in 2018, but they lost in the first round 2019 and 2021 while losing in the Stanley Cup Qualifier in 2020. Those early exits are hanging over the heads of the Penguins, something that they are desperate to avoid.

The two teams have met seven times in the playoffs with the Rangers winning only twice.  The Penguins have a 24-12 record against New York in the postseason.  Here’s the history:

  • 1989  Patrick Division Semi-Finals: Penguins sweep 4-0 Rangers with GM Phil Esposito behind the bench after firing Coach Michel Bergeron.  Mike Richter played in his first NHL game as the starter of Game Four, a 4-3 loss.
  • 1992 Patrick Division Finals: Penguins win 4-2, eliminating the Presidents’ Trophy winning Rangers.  This was the series that turned when Adam Graves slashed Mario Lemieux’s wrist and was suspended.  Mike Richter also allowed a Ron Francis goal on a shot from center ice that started a Penguins comeback for a 4-2 deficit.  The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.
  • 1996 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals: Penguins won 4-1, led by ex-Rangers Petr Nedved and Sergei Zubov.
  • 2008 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals:  Penguins won 4-1 behind Marian Hossa and Evgeni Malkin.  This was the last season for Jaromir Jagr in New York.
  • 2014 Second Round: The Rangers finally beat the Penguins 4-3 coming back from a 3-1 deficit for the first time in franchise history.  Martin St. Louis was the spiritual leader for the Rangers, returning to play after the death of his mother.
  • 2015 First Round:  That Rangers dispatched the Penguins in five games 4-1, though each game was decided by one goal and two in overtime for New York.
  • 2016 First Round:  The Penguins surprised the Rangers in five games, starting rookie Jeff Zatkoff and Matt Murray after an injury to Marc-Andre Fleury.

The newest chapter in this longtime rivalry gets written starting tonight.

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