Learning from past mistakes
While this year was a considerable step forward for the Rangers in the so-called rebuild, there is no getting away from the fact that they are still the youngest team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with little postseason experience on their roster.
That has showed throughout this series but especially in Game Three with an intimidating PPG Paints Arena more than playing their part in an ugly first period for the Rangers.
It seemed apparent that Igor Shesterkin got spooked by the home crowd after allowing four goals on just 15 shots, leading to the stud goalie being benched for the rest of the game.
You could also tell that 10 of the 20 players in the lineup were playing in their first playoff road game, and that proved no match for a Penguins team who have been there, done that and won two Stanley Cups in the heat of postseason battle.
The good news, though, is that the Rangers have now got those growing pains out of the way and stepping on the ice for Game Four shouldn’t be as nearly as intimidating as it was on Saturday. They will know what to expect and they should be a lot better for the experience.
If they can learn from their own mistakes in the first period of Game Three, then that should hopefully lead to a much better start in Game Four, which will be crucial if they want to even up the series.
Stopping the two-headed monster
Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel have been at this together for a long time now, and their fingerprints have been all over this series so far.
That lethal line of Crosby, Guentzel and Rust have combined for 13 points so far in the first three games of the series, and it has been without doubt the most productive line for either team.
Crosby and Guentzel just share this telepathic understanding and they will be out for revenge after being quiet for most of Game Three, with Guentzel’s empty-netter from a Crosby pass that line’s only points of the night.
Crosby, in particular, is playing like peak Crosby and it appears as though he has turned back the clock this series with six points (one goal, five assists) in three games, so slowing him down will be key.
The Rangers did a good job of containing the pair on Saturday, and they must once again force that line to play in the defensive zone and make it hard for them to make plays in the offensive zone. If they can do that, then that could go a long way to deciding which team comes out on top tonight.