3 Big takeaways from Game 5 as New York Rangers stay alive
The bell was answered by the New York Rangers in Game Five as they showed a bucketload of character to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and stay alive.
After being beat up in an ugly Game Four, a response was needed and the Blueshirts delivered just that in every single sense of the word.
Jacob Trouba knocked the lethal Sidney Crosby out of the game with a hard but clean hit – no matter what Penguins fans may say – Igor Shesterkin battled his way through somewhat of a bounce-back game and the Blueshirts in general took full advantage of a packed MSG that was up for grabs to live to fight another day.
The series now shifts to Pittsburgh where the Penguins will be looking to advance on home ice, while the Rangers will have the opportunity to send a real clear statement about their contender status.
But, before we fully shift our attention to Friday’s crucial matchup, let’s take a look at a few of the big takeaways from Game Five…
You don’t know what you’ve got until its gone
The New York Rangers are well aware of just how crucial Ryan Lindgren is to this team, but maybe even they didn’t realize just how crucial until this week.
Having missed the previous three games prior to Game Five with a lower-body injury, the Blueshirts were exposed on the back-end time and time again without their grizzled defenseman, including giving up a combined total of 14 goals in Games Three and Four.
However, back in the lineup for Wednesday night, Lindgren quickly showed what the Rangers were missing as he provided the jolt of energy his teammates so badly needed.
His return allowed his partner-in-crime, Adam Fox to focus on what he does best in the offensive zone, allowing Lindgren to focus his attention on a Pittsburgh top line that has dominated this series so far.
Lindgren was a physical force and the Rangers just look much more comfortable when the human wrecking ball is on the ice, and his timely return may well just prove to be a huge momentum shifter in this series.
The 24-year-old finished his big night with three shots on goal, two blocked shots, one hit, one takeaway and an empty-netter to seal the win, while logging 19:34 minutes of total ice time, and if he can repeat that in Game Six, then there may well be a Game Seven to look forward to at MSG on Sunday.
The kids are alright
No matter what happens on Friday, one huge and significant development for the Rangers this postseason has been the play of their young core of talent, who have proven that they can handle the heat of playoff hockey.
Alexis Lafrenière has been impressive in his first taste of the postseason, laying on big hit after big hit in Game One before scoring his first career playoff goal in Game Four, and the kids again took control in Game Five.
After Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang silenced Madison Square Garden, the young Rangers showed they have character and guts in abundance with the comeback spearheaded by the young cornerstones of this team.
Adam Fox, playing in his first playoffs, got the Rangers on the board before Lafrenière buried a pass on the doorstep from Kaapo Kakko to tie the game up, with the two franchise forwards offering a tantalizing glimpse of the future.
ANOTHER FIRST CAREER STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF GOAL FOR ONE OF OUR KIDS. pic.twitter.com/fInx9B9WjM
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 12, 2022
Then, after Guentzel tied the game once again, the kids again showcased why there is a very bright future in New York with Filip Chytil scoring the go-ahead goal on the power play, with Lafrenière tallying the primary assist.
The Kid Line – Lafrenière , Chytil and Kakko – have been money in this series and their development and progression should raise hopes for the immediate future and beyond for the Rangers.
It was the best showing of the postseason so far from the Rangers’ core of young studs, and they are proving that they are built for the biggest moments and are capable of leading this team into the heat of playoff battle.
And that’s a huge W on its own.
Rangers prove there’s really ‘No Quit In New York’
We did a piece the other day on why the New York Rangers needed to embrace their own slogan of ‘No Quit In New York’ and, to give them their due, they did exactly that in Game Five.
A lot of teams would have crumbled going down two goals on home ice in an elimination game, especially against a Pittsburgh team that is battle-hardened and tested in the postseason.
Instead, the Rangers displayed the resilience that has been the bedrock of what has been a superb year, refusing to quit and instead putting on their hard hats and going to war with the Penguins.
While Sidney Crosby leaving the game in the second period would have helped, full credit has to go to Gerard Gallant’s team for the way in which they stormed back, contesting every loose puck, finishing every check and leaving it all out on the ice.
Three goals in 2:42 started with Foxy... pic.twitter.com/oa4yruy7hl
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 12, 2022
Everyone had a role to play and they finally did a good job as a team of getting pucks to the net and making Penguins third-string goalie Louie Domingue uncomfortable, personified by Adam Fox’s shot through traffic that started the fightback in the second period with three goals being scored in a 2:42 span.
Igor Shesterkin toughed it out after a couple of rough outings and, unlike they did in Game Four, the Rangers stuck together, clawed for every inch as a team and proved that they aren’t going to go away easily.
If they can repeat that effort in Game 6 and seize the momentum they built with their gutsy win in Game Five, then the Rangers are more than capable of forcing a Game Seven back at MSG and seeing off the Penguins to advance to the Second Round.
Especially if Crosby is out for a significant amount of time.